Carrefour
by Pax Moony
Summary: A great evil overtakes Ooo, and it comes with cold precision. However, even the most dangerous of evil-the most insidious of villains-comes with a story. This is the story of the Cold Prince. And it all started with an old man and his video diary.
1. Welcome to the Land of Ice and Snow

_Hey, guys. I decided to add some to the first chapter. My plot idea has changed due to inspiration and the wonderful aid of music. I hope you'll still enjoy the story, and that everything will fall into place. Much love, and high hopes!_

_~Pax Moony_

The Land of Ooo was dark and still. The air that was breathed was stale and cold, the atmosphere leaving a chill along the spines of the kingdom's inhabitants. His impact on the land was clear, casting the entirety of it into shadow and darkness. Nobody dared to defy him, and nobody dared to challenge his power. His subjects were fearfully loyal to him, and were constantly at his beckoned call.

From his throne, he smiled his dark, sultry smile and closed his eyes, laying his head against his fist. This was perfection. The world was his and nobody would take it from him. The sky above was dark with constant threat of stormy weather. Nobody had seen the sun, since he'd taken over, and he didn't seem to want that to change. He watched the empty streets below him with a scowl, eyes dark. He had everything, but he wanted more. The emptiness within him was growing daily, and he knew why.

This was all her fault, anyway. She'd made him the way he was, and he'd been foolish enough to believe in something that wasn't the truth. She'd made it into such a beautiful lie, that he couldn't help but fall for it. She'd destroyed him; made him into a monster. Now, chaos ensued throughout the land, and he couldn't help but enjoy every moment of it, his dark eyes staring from behind the mask that hid him. He made her watch.

Everybody knew the Cold Prince, and most knew of his plights. His story was compromised of hate, regret and heartache, and it showed in the iron fist that he ruled with. Nobody had ever managed to entirely take over Ooo, nor had they held power until he came along. It had been almost a year and a half, and the people that he ruled over had lost hope. Nobody could kill him. Nobody could even come near to it without losing their own life in the process, and that was why so many people feared him. He'd done the unthinkable. He'd killed Ooo's most famed hero, and turned against the world that he now ruled over.

The world was now made up of nightmares and shadows. He was everywhere, even though he kept himself locked away far above the world. Ooo hadn't feared one person so much since the Lich had ravaged the country with his dark magic, but even then, a hero had come along to save them. Billy was gone, now, and so was Finn. What were they to do?

He cast his eyes to the sky, reminiscent of what had come and what had gone. A bitter smile crept its way onto his lips once again when he came to think of his father. He was dead now, too. Not by his hand, of course, but it_ had_ been his fault. The world would watch him with hateful, fearing eyes until the day he died. Still, he regretted none of his actions, nor did he ponder the day that he would be dying. It would come soon, he knew, and it would bring much joy to the land. There was no questioning those facts.

The situation had arisen from harmless idiocy. Those who had seen the events that unfurled would call them unfortunate indeed, but one must hear the story to truly understand what took place. It all started back when the world was still serene and bright. The land was lush, and the sun was high in a deep blue sky. There wasn't a care in the world for anybody to worry over, nor did anybody want to worry. The land of Ooo was healthy and warm, and its people were happy and fearless. The most troubling of issues was over the cost of a carton of eggs, and how the seller would squabble back and forth with somebody trying to bargain over the price. However, the Cold Prince hadn't arisen from any kingdom that sold eggs, nor did he come from a kingdom that bartered or traded. He wasn't one with the trees, nor did he bring infamy to the Candy Kingdom.

The Ice Kingdom had always been bitterly cold. The mountains were solid ice, reflecting a giant blue sky, and low beneath the mountains, valleys and hills of snow stretched out like fields of corn. Ruled by the most minute of 'evil' kings, the Ice Kingdom was home to an assortment of different creatures, among these being snow golems and penguins. The magical life that thrived in the cold kingdom was only sustainable due to its freezing air, created by the magic of the king's crown. It kept away most intruders, biting at their cheeks with its harsh temperatures. Many didn't care to venture into the land of snow, other than the Ice King himself and the occasional hero or two that found him to be a threat. There weren't many. Truth being told, Ice King was relatively harmless, if not a bit of a sociopath. Most viewed him as a nuisance or an annoyance, always getting in the way of plans and creating problems day to day. However, today he was on a much more important mission than usual—in his opinion, anyway. He'd run out of tapes for his videodiary, and had set off into a journey of a search for blank tapes. After many twists and turns, and hours of searching through the large boxes and heaps of junk, he found exactly what he'd been looking for.

"Oh, good, my tapes," he cackled with glee, clapping his hands. "Gunther, help Daddy get these tapes!" He frowned as he approached the box. His little penguin companion waddled along with him but stopped, staring at the huge block of ice behind the box. She allowed a quick 'quack' before staggering backwards and running back off into the caves.

"Bad Gunther, bad! Come back, Daddy needs help!" he shouted. After along moment, he sighed and turned back to the box. "That silly nilly. Always running off to play with his imaginary play guys." The king grunted as he lifted the box, his next-to-nothing muscle mass quivering under its weight.

"Yeesh. I need to work out," he grumbled. As he stood up straight, his eyes met a most curious sight. He couldn't help but utter a cry, dropping the heavy box. Tapes went flying, half of them breaking. He'd come face to face with a young man whose face was twisted into some expression of anger or fear and was white as a sheet. "Look at what you made me do, boy!" he screeched. "Pick this up right," he paused. "Now?" The Ice King frowned, leaning forward, and tapped the boy. He was frozen solid, nothing more than a statue. The foolish king blinked before laughing nervously.

"Well, would you look at that?" he murmured. "You're frozen!" The boy frozen in ice was hunched over, with his arms shielding his head, his face scrunched up into an expression of sheer horror. "Frozen..." He stared at the boy again for a long time before a stupendous idea popped into his gigantic head. And without another word, the man hooked his hands under the statue's arms, and hoisted him into the air. Leaving his tapes behind, the king returned to his palace with a strange and terrifying idea in his slightly underused mind. This was an idea that he'd tried to combat before, but it had so many times failed him. Now, he had a subject that had no choice but to sit still, and had no possible way of fighting back. Surely it would only take a spark, something short of a miracle. And he knew just where he could get it.

Gunther stared at the rambling man before her, eyes sparkling with utter indifference to the situation. She couldn't help but stare more at the boy who surely was dead—his now defrosted body laying on the floor—rather than the king who had so long distracted her attention. The boy was tall—somewhere around seven feet from head to toe—much taller than anyone else in the land of Ooo. He had dark brown hair, still slightly damp from the recent thawing of his frozen body. He was white as a sheet, eyes shut tight. Several times, Gunther had waddled up and poked him with a flipper, or slapped him on the face to try and wake him, not quite familiar with the concept of death. Before long, her brothers and sisters joined in, and Ice King would run them all off. He was finding them all to be quite an annoyance, considering that his plan was going to take effect in a matter of minutes. As he set up his special station, he bit his tongue, focused. Magic could be a fickle thing, especially if used incorrectly. And he had no idea how this would turn out. The grandeur of Hunson Abadeer's magic was immense, and there was no real way to make sure that he was handling it correctly. However, it took that kind of magic to bring one back from the dead, lest he wished to make a deal with death. And nobody made deals with death, unless they were good friends with Peppermint Butler, which was hard enough as it is. He wiped his brow with uncertainty, suddenly very nervous about this whole ordeal. If he messed this up, there was a good chance that he could be killed or worse. However, if he pulled it off...

There was a long silence as he pulled back, mixing his power with that of Abadeer's. The penguins all scurried away, scared out of their wits as the great ball of energy expanded and crackled. He smiled wistfully as his plan took shape, and the energy grew larger and larger. Seconds had passed when he was blown back against the wall, the ball exploding forward at the young man on the floor. Simon groaned before sitting up, and rubbing his head. There was silence as he watched the body, which had slumped against the other wall into a sitting position from the force of the explosion. His appearance had changed. The boy's dark hair was now a silvery white on top, fading to brown, and then black on the bottom. A few brown locks streaked through the white, as if they had been missed by the blast of magic. Thick bangs drooped over the left side of his face, concealing it with ease. His skin had dropped to an unnaturally low temperature, and had change in color to an icy blue. It was incredibly quiet. The king stood, stepping over to the lifeless boy before frowning and nudging him with his foot.

"C'mon, boy. Wake up," he chided, cringing. He didn't move. "Aw, nuts. It didn't work.." He sighed and turned away, heading to the other room before he paused. There was the sound of cloth sifting against skin. As the king glanced back over his shoulder, he saw an absolutely wonderful sight. The boy was awake, and alive. He glanced up at the man, covering the right side of his face with his hands.

"Where is this?" he asked in a low, protruding tone. His voice was deep, and cold as the magic used to revive him. "And who are you?"

"I am Ice King, son," replied the old man, his eyes brightening with the utmost of joy. "Welcome to the Ice Kingdom, the land of ice and snow."


	2. Thin Ice

_Thanks so much for your awesome reviews. Here's the next chapter, in case I don't get to upload until next weekend. Enjoy!_

_~Pax Moony_

Several weeks had passed, and in that time Simon had taken the young man in with open arms. He'd dubbed him Ice Prince, even though he'd already been told his real name.

"It's Clark," he'd muttered nonchalantly to the old man. That was an extremely old name, dating back to times before the Great Mushroom War.

"Well, Clark," the Ice King had said. "I'm gonna call you Ice Prince. You'll fit in better that way. Besides, princesses don't marry guys named Clark. They marry princes!" The boy paused, watching his 'father' with an uneasy eye. "You see, Ice Prince, in all of my years of ruling the Ice Kingdom, there's only been one thing I really wanted. And that's a woman, someone who will love me!" He clasped his hands dramatically, voice quavering a bit. "And—in all of my years ruling—I have failed to do so. That's why I made you!"

"That's all you want me to do? Marry a princess?" Clark stared at the man incredulously, eyes narrowing.

"Well, actually. I was hoping you would help me to steal the princesses!" The king shrugged, smiling. "And, you know, you can pick up the hot not-princess babes, if you want." The boy was growing to be a bit annoyed. What the Ice King had failed to understand was that he had resurrected a moody teenager. And though he could be considered an asset, there was no telling if he would rebel like most.

Ice King had bid their time by teaching the young man about the ways of magic over ice. He couldn't do much with it. His powers were very weak. The most he could do was frost over a small plant or two, or create little ice crystals to throw at people, which did little damage. His biggest advantage was his strength. Though he didn't appear to be especially fit, Hunson Avadeer's magic had made him much stronger than he seemed. Unfortunately—due to that same magic—he was greatly hindered in the sunlight, and lost most power when subjected to it. He learned very quickly to avoid the sun as much as possible, unless he had no need of magic.

"Stealing princesses is an art form," Ice King explained. "And you'll have to learn to treat it as such." The boy listened to the man drone on for hours about the different types of princesses, their strengths, their weaknesses, what made them special, and so on. He paid special tribute to the pink girl, Princess Bubblegum, showing off a collection of pictures and poorly written fanfictions. The boy was growing very bored of listening to his father gab on and on about how beautiful she was, and how much he loved her, and how they were going to make "baybays" someday. Unimpressed, the young man stood, holding the left side of his face, as he always did.

"I'm," he paused, looking at the awed expression on the old man's face. "Going to my room. I need some time to myself." Annoyed, he started out.

"Oh, come on, Princey, don't you want to learn some more? I can teach you about my best bussoms, Finn and Jake! They're great, when they're not getting in the way of anything." He began to drone. The boy sighed.

"Look, 'dad'!" He spat the word like it was fire. "I need to be alone. Just. Go and do whatever you do." As he started away, the man watched him, gasping.

"He... he called me dad!" the man screeched with delight. The penguins all mocked him when he wasn't looking, clasping their hands and dancing around that happy little jig. If only he knew what exactly he'd brought from the grave, perhaps he wouldn't be so eager to call him his son. But he had no idea. And he would continue to have no idea. The king's thick skull once again got the better of him.

Xxx

Up in his chambers, the ice prince sat at his desk, hacking away at a piece of porcelain.

"I'll be damned if they see my face. Ever," he muttered, glancing up at himself in the vanity mirror. This room was _supposed_ to be a girl's room, likely a long-term princess chamber. He really couldn't have cared less. The moment he'd seen his reflection, he'd hated that man for bringing him back to reality. As he stared at himself, he frowned, touching the mirror in a sensitive manner before he returned his attention to what would eventually be a mask, something to hide his face. "And they won't see it." He allowed a slight sigh, pausing in his work to stare out the window. Beyond the valleys of snow, he could see green. There was grass, forest, hill, and a kingdom far off in the distance, colorful and vibrant compared to his damask home. Perhaps he could stop for a while, and pay a visit to such a strange place. This new world was his home, after all. He'd need to get used to it one way or another.

Xxx

Finn and Jake were enjoying their vacation. At least, Jake was enjoying it, and Finn was on his toes every minute of the day. Ice King had been strangely missing, uncharacteristically quiet. He _had_ to be up to something, and Finn wasn't going to miss it when he struck! Sitting out on the front porch of their giant tree house, Jake was playing the viola. Night was approaching quickly, and the princess had asked them to meet her at the castle after sunset. Glancing out the window, Finn jumped up.

"Jake!" he called as he slipped out the door. "C'mon dude, we're gonna be late."

"Ahhhh, fine," the dog called back. "I'll catch up with you later. I'mma put away my vioila." He stroked the instrument as if it were his lover. Finn laughed.

"Alright, bro. Be quick. It seemed like it was pretty important, so we'd better not let PB down."

"I'll be quick," he promised, scurrying in the door to put away his beloved instrument. Finn sighed, starting along his approach to the Candy Kingdom. Off in the distance, he could see the ice and snow that was the Ice Kingdom. He frowned, deep in thought. He knew that there was something off, the only question was _what_? As he ambled along, waiting for Jake to catch up, he didn't pay much attention to where he was going. He thought about different things, like what Ice King was up to, and what was taking him so long. Perhaps he had given up, and had retired from the business. But then again, Ice King was not logical in the least, and his attempts were scheduled regularly. He sighed and allowed himself to shrug it off as Jake caught up with him.

"You're so slow!" Jake teased. "Come on man, hop on my buns." It took them only a few minutes to reach the Candy Kingdom. Everybody was packing up their shops for the night, and stowing their inventory. Everything seemed relatively normal. As Finn lowered himself from Jake's back, he bumped into a rather gangly fellow, with lanky limbs and a strange complexion.

"Hey, watch it, kid," the man scolded.

"Oh, my bad, dude. Sorry," Finn smiled up at the tall fellow and blinked. The sight that met him was strange. The left half of the young man's face was bandaged entirely, leaving him with only one eye to see the world through. He grumbled something inaudible before stalking off. He seemed like somebody that Marce would hang out with. Finn assumed that she was in town with a few of her friends, and they were goofing off. That guy, though, seemed weird even for Marceline. He was definitely odd, and Finn had never seen him around before. He didn't fit in around the Candy Kingdom, that was for sure.

"Dude, you were the one who was saying we're going to be late. Come on!" Jake chided, already halfway up the road to the castle. Finn ran to catch up with him.

"Sorry, I'm just kind of out of it today, I guess," Finn replied. Bubblegum was waiting in the front room, as usual, surrounded by a group of people. Finn recognized most of them, the princesses of Ooo that ruled the gems, along with Marceline. The others, he had only met on an occasion or two, or he had never met at all.

"Oh good! You've made it!" Bubblegum sighed with relief. "I was beginning to worry for you." Marceline crossed her arms and closed her eyes with a yawn.

"This had better be important," she jeered. "I'm missing out on my nap." Bubblegum looked at her sharply in a manner that stated very clearly _'shut up.'_

"It is, indeed, very important. Ice King has been up to no good," the pink princess said. Finn nearly jumped out of his skin.

"I knew it! I knew he was doing something! What do you need us to do, Princess? I'll go stop him right now!" He bantered on for a few minutes before Bubblegum silenced him.

"Hush, Finn. I know it's been a while since he's made any noise, but we have to be careful. What he's done is very, very dangerous, and if you go to stop it right now, it could end in disaster."

"Oh, come on, Bonnibel. What could poor Simon possibly do to hurt any of us? He's harmless," Marceline interjected.

"Well. First of all, he stole some of your father's magic." The vampire queen immediately sobered up, eyes widening, she planted her feet on the ground, hands balling into fists.

"He _what!?_" She cried, eyes wide. "He couldn't possibly have—but!"

"Secondly, he used it to revive a dead human. But he's definitely not human. Not anymore anway." Bubblegum crossed the room and turned on her three-dimensional projector. In the center of the room, there was now a man, taller than anybody else there. He was garbed in old, worn clothing, and had pale blue skin. Half of his face was covered by his long bangs.

"This is Ice Prince," Bubblegum said. "Or—at least—that's what Ice King named him. He came by this morning just to tell me about him." She looked a bit disturbed. "Marceline. This is your brother." There was a long silence around the room before an uproar broke out.

"Is he dangerous?"

"What's he going to do?"

"He's surely evil!"

"How are we going to stop him!?"

"Princess!" Finn hissed, grabbing PB by the sleeve. "I just ran into that guy out on the streets!"

"He's in the Candy Kingdom? But, what if he—"

"Gets inside the castle?" The room went silent. The lights flickered. From the door, a chilling draft slipped through the room. The young man standing there had blue skin, and was dressed poorly. Covering his arms was a dingy green jacket that hadn't been changed in a thousand years, and the side of his face that was exposed was smiling in amusement. He stepped forward, his heavy boots thudding against the tiles of the ballroom. "Good evening, Your Highnesses." He offered a steep bow to the ladies in the room. "I am the Ice Prince."


	3. Beautiful Freak

_Thanks so much for the awesome reviews and the follows. I promise I won't disappoint you. Here's a new chapter. I feel like I'm not doing a very good job with this, though. _

_~Pax Moony_

As he stepped along the earthen path that led to the Candy Kingdom, the estranged prince couldn't help but marvel a bit. Being used to nothing but the drab gray and blue that seemed to hang around his home, the scenery undoubtedly caught his attention. There were so many oddities in this place that he could hardly keep his head on straight. As he scanned the trees, he absorbed the greenery, enjoying something other than chill air and snow for once. The forest, however, felt unbelievably unnatural for him to be in. As he passed, animals would hide, or silence their young, and would wait for him to leave before scurrying away. From to time, he would stop and observe some of these strange little beasts before sighing, a puff of cold air escaping his lips. He had wondered many a time if this world was but a fever dream, if that he was curled up in a warm bed somewhere else. He couldn't recall any other home, even if this world was unnatural to him. Anywhere else, and he'd have been just as out of place as he was here. With all of the people that he'd met and how incredibly strange they all were, there was no possible way for him to fit in anywhere. Perhaps it was for the best that nobody should accept him. After all, attachments only led to heartache. If there was anything that he'd retained from some previous life, it was that.

The prince, though, was unaware of all of the eyes that watched him from the bush and wood around him. As he stepped along, disregarding the sky and the stars, paying no heed to the moon or anything she had to say, eyes followed him from all directions. Night beasts crawled through the shadows, curious of this new stranger. The land of Ooo was full of strange people, and he was an odd sight indeed. With half of his face bandaged, he was a sight to see. The animals, sentient from years of evolution, watched him with widened eyes, minds wandering to what could possibly be hidden beyond those odd cloths. From time to time, he would pause and pay attention to them, scowling and threatening them with his oddly perfect posture. Intimidation kept the beasts of the dark away, their fear of him pushing them farther and farther from his small circle of personal space. After a while, the animals lost most of their interest and started back on their paths.

As the prince continued along his journey, he began to hear noises. The animals sounded all of their warnings, birds and crickets chirping in distress as something came ripping through the grass, breathing heavy, feet light. He stopped, a bit nervous to discover what was coming around the corner. He took a deep breath and stepped a foot farther, assuming his intimidating stature and lowering his head into a glare as the animal rounded the bend and hit him face first, running into his lower chest. There was a shriek of surprise and mild pain as it fell beck on its bottom. He found himself in a confused daze, eyebrows raised with a slight frown settled upon his features. What he found himself staring at was a young woman, a bit younger than him, wearing an array of different greens and browns. She stared up at him—eyes wide with fright—as he reached down to pull her up. She shouted something incomprehensible at him before scuttling backwards into the underbrush. The prince, intrigued, followed after her.

"Hey! Wait, don't—" he paused with a soft sigh. "Go yet." She had already disappeared into thin air. He swallowed a deep breath before brushing himself off and regaining his scowl. Women were odd, and that was only a reminder of that grand philosophy. Perhaps that was why he had no interest in his father's profession. Women were walking contradictions, and he didn't want to get caught up in such confusing creatures. Though beautiful, they could be dangerous. They could poison the purest. But they could also reform the most volatile. He wetted his lips in demise, glancing up at a rather tall tree. After a moment, he made the decision to scale it. Perhaps he would find that he was treading hopelessly in the wrong direction. He gripped the bark and hauled himself up the trunk, grunting as he hoisted himself farther and farther upward. As he reached the uppermost branches, he leaned back and glanced out over the horizon, eyes narrowed. The setting sun illuminated the west, silhouetting the wonderfully colorful kingdom that rested upon the hill. Indeed, he'd been walking in the right direction, but he needed a moment's rest anyway. It wasn't often that he stopped to enjoy something, so for now he would take the time to enjoy the beauty that seemed to dwell within the trees themselves. He offered a very small smile, craning his neck to see the Candy Kingdom. Perhaps he'd have some fun and shake them up a bit. A little fun wasn't a crime, in his opinion. And so, the wayward prince dropped from his perch and began at a quicker pace. Perhaps this world could be his cup of tea.

Xxx

There was a lot of commotion when he arrived. Before entering, he paused at the moat to gaze at his reflection and reaffix his bandages. The Candy Kingdom was unbelievably vibrant and grandeur. Everything was bright and cheery there, even the people. He caught himself staring at some of the citizens. He'd heard the Ice King talk about the Candy People, and how they were _really_ made of sugar, but he hadn't paid the idea much attention. Though his feelings of awe and wonder didn't manifest themselves well physically, his head was reeling with the images that he found. Closing his eyes, he glanced up at the castle that towered over the village around him. His eyes narrowed with mischief, a smirk settling upon his lips. That was where that Princess Bubblegum character lived. A small visit wouldn't hurt anyone, would it? Glancing about, he decided that he would, indeed, pay the princess a visit; however, exploration of her kingdom was in order first. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and started on his way just in time to run into a boy and his dog. He muttered some sharp comment or another before continuing on his way.

The townsfolk all smiled and tried to sell him different things, letting him sample a bit of this, or test a bit of that. There wasn't anything in this place that was useless. Everything here was wonderful in comparison to his home, where everything came off as humdrum and bland. This place was dynamic, ever changing. He ended up tasting a bit of their candy, but didn't care much for it. He'd never been a big fan of sweets, and it was all especially sugary here. He eventually found himself standing out on the sidewalk curb, watching people come and go. He got plenty of strange looks from passersby, not that he really cared. He paid no mind to the puzzled expressions that had established upon their faces. He was intent on one thing and one thing only; meeting this princess and teaching her exactly what there was to fear of the Ice Kingdom. There would be no more fun and games. Not while he was around, anyway.

Xxx

"I'm of no harm to you," he pronounced, now standing in the center of the room. "At least, for now I'm not." He crossed the room and scanned the crowd of Candy People and miscellaneous princesses that had moved away from him. His eyes fell upon one of them and his curiosity peeked. "You needn't fear. I'm just here to say hello." Princess Bubblegum's eyes narrowed, watching him with disbelief.

"What business have you come with, Ice Prince?" she inquired with a hint of suspicion in her bell-like voice.

"Isn't a friendly visit enough, Sugar?" He turned and winked at her, pacing back to her and whisking a chilly breeze down her spine as he brushed his fingers against her shoulder. "After all, neighbors are supposed to be friendly with one another. I thought I would make the first move." She slapped him away, incensed.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," she snapped, whirling around on him. "Your malevolent devices are not welcome here!"

"I didn't come here out of malevolence," he taunted. "Really, I came out of boredom. The monotony that comes with living in the Ice Kingdom made this place all the more enticing." The floor had become slick with frost, the temperature falling in the room rapidly. He was deep in concentration, showing off a cool attitude along with his icy power. "But if you want me gone so badly, I can leave." He glanced back at the group of people that he'd studied a few moments earlier. "For a price."

"You can _not_ have one!" Bubblegum retorted. "There will be no princesses missing from their homes tonight, you nasty boy."

"If I can't _have_ one, I'll take one," he chortled. To him, this was all just a joke of a game. He was delighted to see Bubblegum's stunned expression as he strolled over to the group and grabbed the girl who had caught his eye earlier. She was the girl from the woods. He could see her much more easily now. She was a forest nymph, with pale green skin and leafy green hair that fell around her shoulders. She wasn't especially pretty, holding a tomboyish air about her, but something about her was attractive to him. He'd make his escape with her easily.

"Don't worry Princess! I'll save you!" Finn shouted, drawing his sword. He charged at the man, raising his weapon. "Ice Prince, let her go!" The prince raised an eyebrow before letting the girl's wrist slip from his clutches.

"If a fight is what you want, then a fight you'll have, boy," he sneered, raising his fists to fight. Jake jumped into action as well while Marceline watched cautiously, studying the teen that held her father's power. Finn was getting his buns kicked, and Jake couldn't get near him for a good five minutes. The prince was evasive, dodging most of their attacks with ease, quick and strong. Finn had tried many a time to run at him and aim a punch at his gut, or slice him with his sword, but each time, there was always a kick to meet him, or a quick side step that sent him staggering. Jake had tried to tie him up, but he was quick as a mouse, and lithe as a snake. There was no trapping him. Fist after fist, foot after foot, wrap after wrap, all failed. That is, until the little green girl stepped from behind him and pulled away at the knot of his bandages.

"NO!" He immediately grabbed his face, gritting his teeth as he whirled around to face her. She let out a small cry as his palm collided with her cheek. "How _dare_ you!?" he shouted. "How dare you expose my face!?" He kept his hand raised, eyes ablaze. After a moment, he softened, the expression on her round face getting the better of him. She stood with her chin held high, and her eyes locked on his, masking her pain and fear with a locked jaw.

"Go on, prince. Aren't you gonna hit me again?" she whispered, lips quivering as she spoke. Everyone had stopped to stare at the two. He swallowed, regaining his composure before he stood up straight, clutching the side of his face that she had attempted to reveal.

"You can assume you haven't seen the last of me," he spewed venomously. "As for you," he watched the little green girl with hatred burning in his eyes. "I'll be seeing you shortly." The room was silent as he stormed out and into the night. As soon as he had disappeared, the room erupted into excited murmurs and scared chatter. Nobody knew exactly what to think of this. A group of people surrounded the little forest nymph, gentle.

"Forest Princess, are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"We'll keep you safe, he won't get near you!"

"Please, guys, I'm fine," she replied softly. Finn crossed over to Bubblegum, sporting a black eye and a bruised up face.

"What are we going to do, Princess?" he raised with a frown. "That guy is definitely not Ice King."

"No Finn, he's not. I'm afraid he's much worse." She looked away with a puckered brow. "We could try to befriend him, but he doesn't seem to be the friendly type."

"That's what you said about Marceline, too," he mumbled dazedly. "Where is Marceline, anyway?" He blinked, glancing about. Without an answer to his question, Bubblegum turned from him to clean up the mess that he'd made. For that moment, the world would have to move forward.

Xxx

Marceline had managed to catch up with the young man who had crashed the meeting. She took to his side and walked along with him on foot, gaining nothing more than a scowl in her direction.

"What do you want?" he jeered, picking up his pace. "I'm not in any mood to deal with any more stupid kids."

"I'm not a kid. I'm a thousand years old, asshole," she said calmly, watching him with interest. "And you're my baby brother."

"I'm hardly a baby," he scoffed. "And I am nobody's sibling."

"Sure you are," she replied, floating in front of him to make him stop trekking through the grass. "We share a parent. That's enough to say we're related."

"I don't have parents." He clamped his jaw and watched her with a steady eye, keeping a lookout for any tricks or schemes. She merely shrugged.

"Took my dad's magic to bring you back. There's a piece of him in you, now. Quit acting like a spoiled butt, it isn't going to do you any good here." His gaze wavered before he shoved past her and groaned with frustration.

"I saw how you hit that little girl back there," she continued in a louder tone, continuing after him.

"She had it coming," he spat. "I don't know what you expect out of me. An apology? Even if I were to hand them out, I don't owe any to you. Get lost." She laughed.

"You're telling me to get lost? You show up out of nowhere, and then tell _me_ that_ I_ need to get lost? I've been here for centuries. I don't need some prick with a bad attitude to tell me what to do." This time, she planted her feet on the ground and crossed her arms. He wasn't going anywhere. "I'm not here for any damned apologies, nor am I here to get a rise out of you. I just wanted to find out more about you, and why the living hell you act like you're some uptight son of a bitch who's got a stick shoved way to far up their a-"

"I've heard enough." He closed his eyes and turned in the opposite direction. "I'm just trying to find something to do, now that I'm not. You know. Dead. Go away, grandma, I've got better things to do than argue with a punk rock wannabe." Her eyes widened, anger apparent on her features.

"What did you just call me?"

"Grandma? It's only suitable for a woman who's a thousand years old." He shrugged his shoulders coolly, mocking her. "Can't you take a hint? Leave me alone." The girl let out a frustrated growl before she flew off in a storm. She'd be back. He knew she would. And he'd be ready. She knew that only too well.

Xxx

"What do you want from me? I've still got a bruise from when you hit me. Isn't that enough?" She watched him in the water, her reflection dancing next to his. He smiled an empty smile and sat down beside her. Half of his face was covered in porcelain, a glass mask that reflected the inside of him. So she watched as half of him smiled, and the other half scowled.

"Do you like it? I made it myself. Took me days." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand to the glass. "Don't you want to see what's behind it?" She watched him, processing the mockery and sarcasm in his voice.

"I want nothing to do with you, to be entirely honest." she pulled her hand away gingerly and slipped it into the water, washing herself of him. "So why don't you just go? I haven't got anything here for you."

"Ah, come on, princess. Haven't you got at least a small welcome? After all, we started out on the wrong foot!" He rested his cheek in his palm, eyes mischievous. "Let's start over. I'm Clark. And you are?"

"Leaving." She stood up abruptly and brushed herself off. "And I don't want to see you again anytime so—" She ran straight into him, for the second time. He grabbed her by the wrists and forced her back against the tree.

"I want an apology before you leave," he stipulated, eyes boring into hers. She held her jaw tight, refusing to give in. "Go ahead. I'm waiting."

"I'd much rather be slapped a second time than apologize to the likes of you," she whispered. "I don't owe you anything. Not a thing."

"If you won't apologize, I won't leave." His grip tightened on her, and he pushed her harder against the tree trunk, a scowl forming to match the mask. "I'm not here to play games.

"I don't even know what I owe you an apology for, you big thug!" She brought her knees up to her chest and pushed him away from her by her feet. Caught off guard, he dropped her, and she fell to the ground with a thud. Scurrying to her feet, she scampered off. "Stay the hell away from me!" He groaned and leaned back against the tree with a grimace, watching her go. He was keen on that apology, and perhaps a few other things. But even the most dangerous of boys don't kiss and tell.


	4. The Mess I Was, When We Met

_Here's a new chapter. Character analysis ahoy! Also, special thanks to Lustris, Thanatos and Nelliegirl for the wonderful reviews! Keep on reading, and enjoy it, and maybe leave a review if you please! In this chapter, character analysis ahoy! Also introducing a few new people. Hope I'm not overwhelming you with OC's, but there are so many things that you can do with this fandom that it's fantastic for character development. Let me know what you think. Tuwa will come into play in these next chapters and I will explain her village and tribe. For now, introductions of several new people, and a slightly look into Forest Princess's mind. Woot woot! By the way, I reprised Chapter One. It'll tie in much more nicely with the plot now._

_~Pax Moony_

The two nymphs had been best friends since they were very small. They'd known each other very well because when they were children, Tuwa's tribe had made a treaty to protect the forest in exchange for refuge there. Now, as they sat by the water, the older girl applied a compress to the younger's cheek.

"There, there, Princess," she mumbled with a frown. "It'll be alright. I mean, it's not too bad." Her brow furrowed with an onset of anger. "But I swear, if that boy comes around here, I'm gonna break his balls! Bad kids deserve bad punishments."

"I don't think he's a bad person, Tuwa. He's just," she paused, closing her eyes with a deep breath. "I'd be pretty cranky if I woke up from a thousand year nap. Besides, it didn't hurt too badly." She had just returned home from the conference that Bubblegum had held to discuss the new threat. She was already sporting a bruise from where the Ice Prince had hit her. She'd always been one to bruise easily. She needed to be treated with care. Being a forest nymph came with its pros and cons. One of them—for her, anyway—was fragility. She held Tuwa's compress to her cheek and stared down at her reflection.

"Why'd he pick me to steal? I'm not especially pretty. I'm not near as beautiful as you." Tuwa was, indeed, a very beautiful young woman. She was a sunshine nymph, so everything about her was fiery and warm. Her skin was a light gold, and her hair white blonde. She always wore fur, as was custom to her tribe. She was bonded to the current tribe leader, named Gray for the color of his hair. She frowned at the princess's suggestion.

"Everybody is beautiful in their own way, honey. I don't know how you could look at yourself and think you're anything but beautiful." She smiled at her and started to braid her hair, watching her reflection in the water. "See? Look at you. You've got such pretty hair, and nice eyes, and an impeccable taste in clothing. Not to mention those breasts!" She giggled teasingly and gave the girl a pat on the back. "What's not to like?" The princess looked at her before sighing with a small smile.

"Tuwa," she murmured. "You always know how to cheer me up."

Xxx

Clark couldn't help but begin to obsess and fantasize about the girl who'd nearly destroyed him. After visiting her that day, out by the stream, he'd only wanted to agitate her more and more. That anger, and the smolder in her eyes, was one of the most attractive things that he had ever seen in a woman, and he wanted more. The idea of visiting her again had crossed his mind several times, but he decided it would be best to pace said visits and wait it out. After all, what fun was a game if he wasn't the one playing it? He groaned and turned over in his bed, eyes weary as he glanced out the window. He piddled around with his mask for a while, watching the trees of her home sway in the distance, the wind catching the leaves and branches on the wind. He wanted to see her angry. Just once. Maybe he could even make that smolder a little bit different, one of these days. Perhaps that passionate smolder could be entirely for him instead of a hatred for him. He snorted at the thought. What an idea. A woman like her was surely just as fickle as every other, and surely she saw a monster where he stood, rather than a man. Besides, what did it even matter to him? He was better off on his own. Liking someone would only get him into trouble later. He'd had his heart broken many a time before. It wasn't something that he wanted to happen to him again. He closed his eyes with a scowl, laying back to stare at the ceiling.

"What am I doing?" he finally asked himself, eyes softening. Everybody in Ooo hated him, except for Simon, who was too much of a sociopath to really see a threat from the lad. He'd made enemies with that girl who claimed to be his sister, and he'd made enemies with heroes. He'd destroyed any possibility that he might have had at being happy in this world. He scoffed at himself again, caught up in an internal debate. Who needed friends to be happy? Who needed people? Power was the essential key to happiness, and he was growing stronger and stronger each day. He could feel the magic slowly taking over, and oh, _hell_ did it feel good. The chill of ice pumping through his veins rather than blood; the thought of it soothed him enough for him to close his eyes and take a deep breath.

_Cold, Clark. Just stay cold, and everything will be fine. Cold._

He awoke the next morning with a start. Simon had company, and by the sound of it, they weren't friendly. Echoes and screeches reverberated throughout the halls, and reached him with perfect resonance.

"Ice King! Where is Ice Prince!?" Clark knew that voice only too well. The human.

"_Shit!"_ he spewed with a hiss. He donned his mask and slipped out the door and down the corridor, gliding soundlessly. He wasn't ready for this yet. He had to go, and quickly.

"Come on, guys, get out! I'm not ready for our super awesome bro sleep over yet!" he heard the old man cry. "Seriously, dudes, I need more preparation!"

"We're not here for your silly games, Ice King! Hand over the prince!"

"Why on earth would I do that? He's the only one who ever stays," the king said, suddenly gaining an idea as to what was going on. "I refuse!" The prince stopped in his tracks and listened for a long moment before he bit his lip. That old loon was sticking up for him? For what motive? He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth before he made up his mind and turned on his heel at a much quicker rate than before. The battle grew loud and much more violent than it had been earlier, and by the time he had reached the room in which it was raging, he found the old man on the floor. The big yellow dog had made himself into a bind. The old man was incapable of escape. Above him, the human boy held his sword, ready to strike.

"Tell me, now, Ice King! He's dangerous, and we can't take any cha-"

"If you were so eager to meet me again, you could have just told me," Clark muttered coolly as he stepped from the hallway. "After all, I _am_ what you're after. Let the fool go. He's not of any danger to you, at the moment." Jake had removed his crown and was sure not to let him near it. "What is it that you want? I'll give you it, if you'll leave us alone."

"You're wanted in the Candy Kingdom, Ice Prince, on the accounts of assault and harassment of a princess, and potential dangerousness to the community." Finn watched him sharply, brushing his bangs back into his hat.

"Having the potential to be dangerous is not a crime," the prince replied in a serene manner. "And I don't believe I'm in the Candy Kingdom at the moment. Do you make it a habit of barging into peoples' homes unexpectedly?" He cast his cold gaze to the boy. The fact that he was so imperturbable was absolutely terrifying. The fact that he wasn't angry was only feeding the irritation that Finn was beginning to feel. The hero squared his jaw and watched the older boy with just as much chilliness as he was offering. "How old are you, human? Sixteen? Seventeen?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business," he replied, doing his best not to act on impulse. That had gotten him into trouble so many times before. Jake was growing uncomfortable, watching this cold stare down. It made the hackles on the back of his neck rise, and he couldn't help but utter a growl whenever the prince made a suspicious movement, or cast an odd glance at his friend. There was something off about this guy. He wasn't particularly evil, and they'd faced so much worse before. Yet, something about him was simply too intelligent. He was so much more logical than anybody else in Ooo.

"I'm nineteen, you know. Or, at least," he paused, looking down at himself. "I was when I died. Be honest. How old are you, Finn?" His voice had softened and left him much less intimidating.

"I'm seventeen, I think," the boy replied after a long minute of deliberating whether or not he should say. "Something like that." Jake watched him in confusion, suddenly unsure of what was going on.

"You're so young to be a hero. Isn't it dangerous work?"

"Isn't it dangerous work to be a villain? From what I've seen, evil gets its buns kicked way more often than good does."

"Who's to say I'm a villain, or that I'm evil?" He finally closed his eyes. "Dangerous, perhaps. I'm no angel. But, evil? I'm not that far gone, kid." He raised his hands in surrender. "I'll go with you to the Candy Kingdom. I don't expect a warm welcome. But, I don't expect to be staying long."

"You mean, you're just going to give yourself up? Just like that?" At this point, Jake was entirely in awe. He was beyond confused, and unsure of what to think of the situation unfolding before him. Finn was just as confused, but he nodded quickly.

"Alright, Jake. Let's get going."

"Give my father his crown, please. He needs it." He cast a glance at the old man as he fell to the floor with a thud.

"Ice Prince! What are you doing!? You can't just leave, I mean-!"

"Don't worry, I'll be back," he promised. "Just give me a while. It won't take long."

Xxx

He'd had a feeling that he'd be seeing her again if he came along with the hero and his dog, and was quite relieved when he found that he would. However, it had caused him a bit of stress to see that she was there, as well, and it had caused her some as well. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that he was in the Candy Kingdom, ready to die at any given moment. This place was so unbelievably illogical; he wished he was still dead. It didn't matter though, because he was likely going to die. He'd only been there for a few months. It wasn't long enough for him to call it home, nor was it longs enough for him to even adjust to the circumstances. However, he'd grown up a bit in the time that he'd spent there. He watched Princess Bubblegum with a keen eye, not saying a word. The room was empty, save for the two of them, Finn and Jake, and Forest Princess. He cast a glance at her from time to time, doing his best not to create a scene.

"Ice Prince, you have disturbed the peace in my kingdom and caused great panic among my people. You have hurt a dear friend of mine, and endangered the lives of several. For your crimes, you must be punished." He kept his eyes trained on hers, chin held high and his will strong. "You'll be spending the next month in our dungeon. However, you'll be given the chance to leave, if my dear friend here has any need for your services." She glanced over at the forest nymph and smiled softly. "And you'll be escorted by Finn and Jake. There won't be any funny business about your retribution. Am I understood?" She watched him sharply, eyes cold and hard. He reluctantly acquiesced and cast his eyes back to the little green girl that was watching him with a pang of remorse. Just weeks ago, she'd encountered him with such anger and passion; but seeing him subdued and contrite filled her with a sense of guilt.

"Understood," he replied. "I get the picture."

"Very well then," she said, standing up straight. "Finn, Jake. Help me along, here; we'll take him to his cell." Forest Princess watched, momentarily paralyzed before she scurried after the escort.

"Bonibell, hold on. Wait, please," the nymph piped up. "Please, I would like him to help me with something." The older princess frowned and turned to face the younger, confused.

"Fern, he needs to know where he'll be staying, otherwise—"

"No. I'd like to take him. I should be the one disciplining him, if I'm the one he's being disciplined for." She smiled up at the pink princess, doing her best not to let her slight fear of the boy reach her face. "Please, Bonny, I can do it." Clark frowned and glanced over his shoulder at her, shoving out the penitence that was creeping into the pit of his stomach. What on earth was it with people and supporting him today?

Bubblegum frowned for a moment before she pat the girl on the head. "I'm afraid he's just too dangerous, dear. Maybe after a few days, but I don't see how it would work. Your kingdom doesn't have much of an institution, and—"

"I'm being serious! I know exactly what to do. I have the right people to help me. I can do it! _Please,_ let me do this." Her mind had strayed from him. It became clear to the condemned prince that this was about her capabilities, and not his sentence. He took mental note of her stubbornness as Bubblegum finally agreed to let him go with her under the condition that Finn and Jake escorted him until her protectors were ensured. She smiled gratefully before taking a deep breath.

"He won't be any trouble. I can already tell."

Xxx

Tuwa sighed in relief as she stacked the last of the heavy boxes. They were full of grain, harvested from the fields just outside of the forest. The village was dependant on four things alone; grain, meat, water, and the forest. Their tie with the land that they roamed was entirely spiritual, and they were sworn to protect it with their lives. They didn't have much of a problem with that, seeing as they were wolf people. Most of the population was made up of a species that was very closely related to humans; however, they had one thing that set them apart from the species that was nearly extinct. They had the instincts of wolves, and could take their form with ease. The process took place when they reached the age of ten. Their dependency on the animal and its instincts kept them alive. Learning from the animal taught them how to protect themselves and the ones they loved. The tribe named its people the Moon Children. The rest of Ooo called them the Wolf Folk.

Tuwa was not like the others in her tribe. Though skilled in combat, and a leading figure in the society, she was not a Moon Child. She was a sun nymph who had been adopted by the village leader as an infant. She grew up with the tribe and took care of the village as much as she could. Training herself in the ways of self defense and pain management, she became a skilled warrior, though she wasn't allowed to fight much. Many a time, she'd run off and find her own adventures.

She sighed and sat down atop one of the boxes, looking up just in time to see Forest Princess approaching with a small, delicate smile. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed that Finn and Jake were escorting her, along with some other guy with a mask over his face. She hopped up, scrutinizing the tall man before her eyes widened and she ran at him with unbelievable speed.

"You son of a bitch!" She was blocked by a wall of Jake. "Let me at him, that asshole is mine, damnit!"

"Settle down, Tuwa," the princess said, eyes soft. "He's here to help me, and meet you. I hope you'll help me out a little with keeping an eye on him. He'll be a handful."

"Wait, he's…" She shook her head, suddenly very confused. "Why is he here?"

"Community service," the man retorted with a scowl.

"He was going to be staying in the Candy Kingdom's dungeon," Finn explained. "And only come around every once in a while if Forest Princess needed his help."

"But she _so valiantly_ came to my rescue," Ice Prince scoffed. "I was in total distress." The sarcasm in his voice was apparent. Tuwa cast him a threatening glare, which did nothing but make him smirk at her.

"You pig. Don't speak of her kindness as if it were a piece of trash," she seethed.

"Oh, I was just saying." He raised his eyebrows, shrugging his shoulders. "It was very kind of her to take me into her home." He was incredibly aloof, which made Tuwa's blood boil.

"One step toe of line and you'll wish she never had." Tuwa muttered sharply.

"Come on, guys, let's not argue," the green girl pleaded. "After all, we have to get used to each other. Let's try to start out on the right foot." She looked over at the prince, whose face immediately fell back into a scowl. He stood up straighter, watching her closely. She sighed and looked back at her friend. "Please try to stay civil." Tuwa sighed, glowering at the man before she closed her eyes in defeat.

"Fine. But only because you asked so nicely." With that, the crew set off into the forest to the castle at the center. There was a lot to be explained to Forest Princess's father, and only more to be explained to the Ice Prince. It could wait.

_**Musical Inspiration for this chapter**_

_New Slang, by the Shins_

_North, by Phoenix_

_Elephant Gun, by Beirut_

_Forever Lost (Reprise, by God is an Astronaut_

_Go listen. And be amazed._

_Peace. _

_~Pax Moony_


	5. Before I Sputter Out

_Thanks so much for your awesome reviews and follows and all of that! I really appreciate it. I've decided upon a nifty new feature in which I give you guys my musical inspiration at the end of the chapters. And, well. You should go listen. Because they're wonderful songs. Love love love. Anyway. Here's chapter 5. Sorry to keep you waiting! Also, quite a bit of strong language in this one. For some reason or another, Clark is extra pissy in this chapter. I don't know. Odd child there. So…yeah. Enjoy. And maybe leave the Moony a review. So incredibly sorry for the long wait. _

_~Pax Moony_

_(…Awkward)_

The snow that fell in that kingdom was much colder than most snow. And the Cold Prince liked it that way. He couldn't wish for any other weather. The ice that fell from the sky reflected everything he was. Cold. Hard. Unforgiving. As the snow came down in their strange little arrangements, crystallized and a bit fragile, he glanced over at _her. _She didn't smile, nor did she frown. She simply watched from her perch on the balcony, eyes trained on the horizon. He only had one thing that he could compare her lovely face to. These days, she resembled that of a porcelain doll; a soft face, with soft sad eyes, but no expression. The utmost of dull monotony had befallen her once vibrant features. He let his eyes fall over her for a moment before he came up behind her and stroked her cheek with a finger tip, head high above hers. She closed her eyes and fought back the tears, her slender fingers curling around the railing. He knew that she'd often thought of jumping from far up there, but she'd never had the strength or the willpower to do it. So he continued to torture her, and watched her suffer with lavish, as the world she once loved died, and the people she cared for fell into darkness.

"Why?" Was the only word she seemed capable of speaking those days, though. That was all she needed to say. She always got the same answer.

"Because." And that was it. That was everything between them, and it would continue to be that way, until he ended her, or was ended himself. Sometimes, she'd try and try to grow something in the cold. And he would watch it—watch her—with slight longing as it grew and bloomed and became green and lush. And then the anger would set in. Everything he wanted crumbled before he had the time to admire it with his own eyes and his own flesh. He couldn't create, nor could he give life; only death. However, he'd learned to live with such a curse, and found beauty in the ice that so greatly complimented him. The irony of it all made him smile bitterly. He watched her again for a moment before he took her soft hand in his colder, stronger one, and led her back to her quarters. There were no spoken words among them. And though he held her hand, it was not the way he wished he could. There wasn't any warmth between the two anymore. No spark, like they'd had once upon a time. Because once upon a time, he'd been in love with her.

Xxx

That week was spent shadowing the little forest nymph and doing whatever she asked. Clark didn't like the job much, but at the same time he didn't particularly mind it. He'd prefer to help her out and be outside than sit around in a dark jail cell, where somebody could easily forget about him. At least with Forest Princess, he got his own room and a bed—someplace comfortable to sleep—and was given a little taste of freedom that Bubblegum had not been so generous to offer.

They were walking through the woods. He'd been doing his best all week to get her alone, but that sunshine nymph never let them out of her sight. She was always two steps ahead of the young man, and was not nearly as forgiving as the little princess appeared to be. He'd taken a liking to the younger girl. She was always nice and polite to him, treating him as her helpful aid, rather than an indebted burden. He almost liked that most about her. She was a charming young woman, and her pleasance only made her that much more appealing to him. But he wanted the flame and passion he'd seen on her the day of his intrusion. He hadn't seen it since then, but he had plans to worm it out of her one way or another. That was his favorite thing in her, and _god_, he wanted more.

She frowned and paused when they came across a little cluster of plants that were stuck beneath a fallen log. She glanced up at her companion and he nodded in compliance, watching her before he leaned down and hoisted it up into his arms. He was, indeed, very strong, she noted with a gentle grin. Silence sat between them for a long time before he cleared his throat and took a slight step back.

"So," he grumbled, cocking his head to the side. "Where do you want it?" He sounded a bit testy, as if he were beginning to lose his patience. Really, he was just waiting, head lowered, eyes trained on her. With a blink, she giggled and led him along, forcing a small smile upon his lips. He couldn't help but find that laugh to be amiable.

The log was set in a clearing, away from any vulnerable plants. He plopped down and sat atop it, legs cast out before him. Those legs were unnaturally long. She'd never seen a person in Ooo so tall. She took a seat next to him, eyes soft and carefree, her shorter limbs splaying out in a similar manner. After a moment, however, a more grim expression replaced her bliss and she hardened, watching him.

"Ice Prince?" she asked with a frown, laying her cheek in her palm to watch him. Caution became apparent on her soft features as he tilted his head to gaze on her.

"It's Clark," he corrected her quickly, discomforted by the decorous name. "I don't like that formal shit."

"Clark, then," she amended, expression softening. "How old are you? I know that it's been a very long time for you. This place must be so strange in your eyes."

"I'm only nineteen," he said with an apprehensive nod.

"No, I mean." She hesitated. "How long were you gone? How far are you from home?" The question baffled him for a moment, and his eyes crinkled at the corners in reflection. The complexity of the conflict in his eyes perturbed the young lady and she reached out to touch his shoulder. He looked back up at her, expectant.

"You don't have to say, if you wish it to be secret." She tendered a smile and patted him softly. Astonished, he gawked at her, eyes easing a bit. "I know, sometimes secrets are hard to share. And you hardly know me. I have no reason to expect that out of you." He continued to gape at her for a moment, at a loss for words. He cleared his throat after an instant and detached himself from their locked gaze.

"I appreciate that, but I don't have anything to hide," he groused. "Not from you, anyway. I don't remember much from before. Everything's kind of hazy. But I remember there was something." He wavered for a moment, grimacing. "A threat. Something bad was going to happen, everyone was going to die. Everyone did. Or, at least, for the most part. Some of us didn't stay very dead. The bad stuff that came, it made a lot of the people bad. I thought I was going to die for sure, but not the way I did. I was frozen, I guess. I woke up back here. In the Ice Kingdom. I'm like a baby again. I haven't got much good in me, by your standards. But I'm learning." He rested his head in his hands and rubbed his temples with another scowl. She watched him before she beamed at him, softhearted.

"Here, look." She took his hand and stood. "Come on, let me show you something!" He batted an eyelid and followed after her, a bit confused.

"What is it, princess?" he inquired, frowning a bit.

"Please, it's Fern," she said with a soft laugh, mocking him lightheartedly. "Spare me the formality." He blinked again before he allowed a chuckle to escape his lips and he pursued her with a bit more ease. "This is my favorite place to go, ever." Her smile brightened, but became much gentler. "Animals come here from time to time to get a drink of water, and the plants are happy." They were at the side of a little creek, the waters below reflective and cool. He blinked before he leaned down to touch the water, focused for a moment. He had every intention of freezing the top of it, but in vain. The most he could do was lightly frost the top, a delicate layer of cold crystal. He sighed and looked over at her, observing an inquisitive gaze.

"Nothing," he answered to her silent question. "It's nothing." She watched him for a moment before she crossed her legs and clasped her hands in her lap, staring down at the water.

"Well, Clark," she uttered after an instant of silence. He looked up at her with another frown, surveying her smooth face as it turned to smile at him again.

"Hunh?" He grunted with a forced scowl, letting his hair fall in his face. He was trying too hard to stay cold and hard, but the façade was beginning to fail him. He glanced back at the water, fingers curling into the grass. Everything was so clear to him, right there at just that time. He'd never felt this pull to anyone before. He'd only spent a week with her, but there was so much that he wanted to know and explore about her. He stood, face falling back into old stone and he glared at her. "What do you want?" She stood with him, shoving her hands into her shorts pockets.

"I just wanted to thank you," she mumbled in puzzlement. "For spending the day with me. Is something bothering you?"

"It's nothing," he snapped, turning away. "What do you need me to do now?" She watched him before she frowned, heart sinking a bit.

"Let's go home," she proposed. "We can get some dinner, and then be off to bed." He crossed his arms and nodded distantly before he followed after. After all the time they'd spent together, the poor girl thought she'd made a friend. And unwittingly, she had.

Xxx

He spent the last length of his stay with the Forest Princess mostly in silence. There was nothing to say, so he didn't say anything. He didn't want to talk to her. He did as she told him, and followed instructions, but he would not attach himself to that being any more than he already had. Attachment led to heartbreak. Attachment led to heartbreak. Attachment led to heartbreak. He repeated that to himself over and over, never allowing himself to watch her for an extended period of time. She smiled at him too much. She was too kind to him. He wished she'd get crossways with him, but she never did. She never tried to put any space between them. She was warm, even though he was so incredibly cold. He hated it. Hated it!

He loved it.

But he'd never admit to such things. He wasn't naïve, nor would he let himself fall prey to false pretenses, those things that people called 'emotions.' It was all just in his head. They had no control over him, nor would he allow it to. So the night came when he was done saving wilted plants and helping to tend the broken leg of a distressed animal. He no longer would sit with her at the water's edges or picnic with her on trash collection day. There would be no more 'magic mud' searches or mushroom hunting. Those days were over, and he was free. He packed his things and left, offering her nothing but a cold shoulder. There wouldn't be any goodbyes here. No 'see you later' or 'until next time.' Secretly—or maybe not so secretly—he didn't want there to be a next time. Knowing that if there was a next time she wouldn't be his—oh, what was he thinking? Nothing was his anyway. He was a cold bastard who didn't need anyone or anything, especially not a stupid little girl with all of her 'friendship!' and 'be happy!' positivity. It was _positively_ despicable. He shook his head with a scowl as he passed her. She started along with him, catching his sleeve. He tugged it away, frown deepening.

"Clark—"

"Shut the hell up and leave me alone," he growled, continuing along, even though she'd stopped. "I don't ever want to see you again. I don't ever want to hear about you again. I don't want you to come near me. I'm not your _buddy_, I'm not your _pal_. I'm an asshole with an agenda. You're not on it. So just." He cleared his throat, trying his best to stay hard. "Get lost, kid."

"But I thought…" She trailed off, not finishing her sentence.

"I guess you thought wrong." The distance between them lengthened and she clasped her hands in front of her, insecure. Who the hell did he think he was?

Xxx

Tuwa watched them through narrowed eyes. She'd alighted to the trees to keep better watch over the two and their behavior. She kept special observation over her friend, eying her uneasily. All week, that shady boy had been trying to shake her. She was much too quick for that, but it still agitated her to no end. She didn't like him, nor was she inclined to ever give him a chance to explain his odd behaviors. The sooner he was done with this community service shit, the better. She didn't want anything to do with him, and she certainly didn't want him to have anything to do with her princess. But the princess seemed to take special liking to him, and treated him kindly and fairly, which pissed the little sunshine nymph off to no end. However, she didn't lower her defenses. She'd always be on her best of guard.

The native had planned to throw a bit of a celebration once the young man left, but things took a turn for the worse. His last night was a disaster, by her standards. He'd humiliated the little princess, and left her confused and disheartened. The moment he stepped from the great double doors and into the great wilderness of the woods, he was jumped and pinned down with a sharp object held against his neck.

"Asshole!" She screamed at him, eyes wide in fury. The fiery little nymph was half-crazed, and he could see that. He stared at her, brows puckered in surprise and fury.

"How many times do I have to attest to that?" He groaned, trying to shove her off. "Get away from me, you crazy bitch! My time's up! I'm leaving!"

"Like hell you are! I'm not letting you go anywhere until you march in there and apologize!"

"I didn't _do_ anything!" He heaved her off of him and patted himself off with a nasty glare. "You're insane. I just want to be left alone, dammit." She crouched and glared back at him, ready to strike at any wrong move. He scowled and shifted his bag. "I have my fath—the Ice King. To worry about. I don't have time for this. So just let me go, and we'll settle this some other time." She growled and went to lunge at him again. He quickly stepped out of the way, but she managed to catch his shoulder, causing an abrasion and drawing a bit of blood. There wasn't enough to be harmful, and he hardly seemed phased. But he bled. His head snapped up in anger and he sprung forward, pinning her against a tree by the throat.

"You stay away from me! Keep your hands off and your precious damned princess away! I don't want anything to do with you people, so just step off!" In his anger, he dropped her, failing to notice one thing that would have made his heart stop if he had. As he stormed off in the direction of his home, the little sunshine nymph stood against the trunk of the tree, temporarily paralyzed, frozen in place. She couldn't move, she couldn't feel. All she could do was stare off into space and hope to the Great Spirits that Fern would come along and find her before something else did.

Xxx

As he stepped inside once more, his scowl softened. He threw his bag onto a block of ice that served the purpose of a couch and groaned, taking a seat next to it. He ran a through a thicket of his hair and watched the ceiling with resentment in his gaze. Why had he come back here? What reason did he have to be here? Because of some promise he'd made to the old man? He sighed and rubbed his temples, blinking before he glanced around. The air was silent, save for the occasional penguin noises that were always present. He waited for a few more minutes before he stood, eyes narrowing. Normally, he thought, the old man would have come to greet him with some odd request or another, but he was nowhere in sight. Where had that lunatic run off to?

"Simon?" he called, inquisition evident in his voice. When there was no reply, he began to search, but found that there was simply nobody home. The old king was out an about, doing what he did best. "Ah, well." He sighed with a bit of relief at _not_ finding him. Finding him dead in his home would be just—no it would be fine. He would be perfectly fine. There was no paternal connection between the two. '

_I'm not even really his son!_' He mentally scolded himself as he headed up the great staircase that led to the upper rooms of the great castle. His footsteps echoed off of the icy walls and made the whole place seem so much bigger. For the first time in years, his eyebrows turned upward in a sad frown. Never before had he felt so small, despite his great height and his position in this new world. Everything was big. Everything was so full of life. Stepping through the threshold and into his room, throwing his bag into the corner by his bed, removing his mask, and staring out the window, something stirred in him. He watched the trees of the Forest Princess's home dance off in the distance, a hint of nostalgia fluttering in his chest, a bit of longing upon his dark features. Something else managed to manifest itself in the young man's bosom, a foreign emotion that had never struck him so hard before.

Worry.

_Musical Inspiration for this chapter:_

_What If This Storm Ends? —Snow Patrol_

_Elephant Gun —Beirut_

_Forever Lost —God is an Astronaut_

_Hold On —Angus and Julia Stone_

_Iron Man —The Cardigans_

_New Slang —The Shins_

_Novocaine For The Soul —Eels_


	6. Like A Bullet Leaves A Gun

_**LISTEN CLOSELY, THIS IS IMPORTANT!**_

_Hey, guys. So I guess there was a little bit of confusion with my last chapter regarding the Cold Prince. __**I mentioned before that I had revised chapter one to suit the needs of the story.**____**If you haven't read the revised chapter, then chapter five may have been a bit confusing. I suggest you read it.**__ If you are still confused after reading, then I can always clue you in on what's going on._

_Anyway, I hope the last chapter was at least somewhat decent. With a bit of chaos at home and a lot of stress, I have had quite the case of writer's block for the past month. Hopefully that will pass quickly. But, on with the story! Here's the sixth chapter. There won't be many more, so I'm going to lengthen them to an extent and things are going to get climatic soon. I hope you enjoy!_

_~Pax Moony_

Tuwa gasped as she thawed, having been barely capable of breathing. She was soaked and wet, and chilled to the bone. She couldn't stop shivering. Standing over her were four unrecognizable blobs that she assumed were the people taking care of her. She tried to focus her eyes but only gained herself a headache, so she shut them tight again and continued to shake from the cold. Fern watched her with the utmost of concern, glancing at the young man with silver hair next to her. He nodded grimly and took the sunshine nymph's hand.

"She's freezing," he murmured, growing more anxious by the minute. "Haven't you got any blankets?" The princess blinked before she nodded and scampered off. The Wolf Boy sighed and clutched her hand tighter. "Just hold on," he said quietly, eyes soft and full of worry. "It'll all be okay." She knew that voice only too well.

"Gray," she attempted with a cough, voice weak. He squeezed her hand again and shushed her, gentle. He soothed her and pet her hair and brought her news from the village.

"It's alright. Everything will be okay. You'll see." He smiled and lay down next to her, gluing himself to her to keep her warm. She curled against him with another shiver, incapable of protesting. She wouldn't have anyway. Gray was her mate. She loved him dearly and would never leave his side, if she had a chance. The connection between the two was deep and warm, and that was enough to keep her breathing at that moment. "The tribe is doing well," he murmured, ears flicking softly in a backward slant. "The Moon Giving is next week." She managed to wrench an eye open and watch him dazedly, head aching like no other.

"I forgot," she uttered, a bit of anxiety filling her frail voice, offering a sad attempt to sit up. "Gotta get out of here.."

"No, no, you're not well enough yet," he said, pushing her down by the shoulders. "You have to stay here for now. Forest Princess is going to take good care of you." He pet her cheek and kissed her on the neck, placid as he could possibly be. "You should be able to come home by the end of the week. Just in time for Moon Giving." He chuckled and lay back down again, pulling her close. She shook, taking a deep breath.

"That Ice Prince. He's not good," she whispered. "He could have killed me." She nestled her head against his chest, eyes shut tight against the sunlight pouring through the window. Normally, the odd little woman would absorb the sun like a plant takes in water. However, the sun was simply not appealing to her at that moment. It only intensified her migraine and forced her to shut her eyes once more.

"The Ice Prince did this?" He sounded alarmed, voice growing sharp. She nodded weakly and nestled closer to him.

"I was just trying to protect Fern," she uttered resentfully. "But he's so god damned stubborn. And when he's angry, he's very strong." Gray paused, brow furrowing before he began to pet her hair again, eyes gentle.

"What happened? And I mean, exactly," he said sternly. She was quiet for a long moment before she began to recount the week that he spent with the princess, and her job keeping an eye on him. By the end of her story, the young man had softened a bit and suppressed a slight smile. He knew those feelings, the odd behaviors, those strange moods. He knew what was wrong with the boy, and the truth was that there was only one cure for it. But he couldn't just take it or force it, he'd have to earn it. That was the way that Gray himself had become happy. He'd earned it. But the ending to her tale filled him with deep fear. "You say, he froze you. All by himself. No help from anyone else, no magical artifacts, nothing?"

"Absolutely nothing," she replied, meek. "I don't know if he was just that angry, or if he just suppresses it all the time, but he very well could have killed me. I might be dead, if you hadn't stumbled along to save me."

"How many times _do_ I have to save your hide?" he teased, kissing her on the cheek halfheartedly. They quickly changed the subject, and there was a lighthearted turn to their conversation about the Moon Giving and the festivities that would ensue. However, as he held her and kept her warm, and smiled to give her a sense of hope, he couldn't help but allow an edge of terror to ebb its way into the back of his brain. That Clark character was going to have to be kept close watch on. He wouldn't let him hurt his lover again. As Fern returned and laid a thick quilt over the sleepy couple, he allowed his eyes to shut and his head to nestle in her hair. For now, sleep was in order, but soon he'd have the safety of his world to worry about. His lover and his tribe were in danger.

Xxx

Fern, being the curious little girl that she was—a strong headed and stubborn one at that—had set off to find her friend after the two had drifted off. She didn't want any help with this, and she didn't want anyone to watch her, so she slipped out when nobody was paying attention or cared enough about where she was going. As she padded along the forest path in the direction of the Ice Kingdom, she smiled a little, thinking about the young couple she'd left in her home. Gray was an interesting specimen, being tall and lanky, and with a pair of giant wolf ears popping out from his hair. His face was always adorned with some sort of face paint, and his clothes were always ragged and worn. Despite his appearance, he was anything but a vagabond. He was the leader of the Moon Children—the Wolf Folk that lived deep within the forest. The tribe was a tight knit community where everyone knew one another and cooperated without difficulty. The only worry the little village had was the other creatures of Ooo that seemed to have it on their agenda to cause trouble. Her smile faded to a small frown as she realized that Clark could be considered a threat to them now, too. She had to talk with him and set this all straight. If he was upset with her, she wanted to speak with him and make amends rather than let him take his anger out on others. Her friend had suffered enough for that. She glanced up at the sky, the deep blue beginning to fade to gray as the grass and gravel beneath her feet grew hard and crunched with frost. She was reaching the side of her home that was constantly cast into winter. She wasn't particularly familiar with this area, but she could navigate her way through easily enough, she assumed. And, fortunately for her, she'd packed some warmer clothes. She pulled her scarf tighter around her neck and rubbed her gloves together with vigor, clicking the heels of her boots together with a groan. This was yet another weakness that came with being a forest nymph. Though most were hardy and strong, not many were very well prepared for the cold. There was no resistance to freezing. It was getting very cold, and she was starting to feel the chill of the winter air. She cleared her throat, suppressing a shiver. Snow began to fall around her, and before she knew it, she was trudging through snow as deep as her mid-calf. Her thick snow boots were weighed down with the weight of the snow that clumped along the top, and she shivered from time to time as pieces of snow slipped into her boots. She'd have to take a break soon, or she'd end up with frostbite, or hypothermia, neither of which seemed very pleasant to the girl. She sighed and closed her eyes, leaning against the tree to borrow some energy.

"Thank you very much, I appreciate your assistance," she commended with a soft smile. "My friend has been causing some trouble, and I don't want him to get hurt. I need to help him before he does something incredibly stupid and hurts other people, along with himself." The tree swayed in understanding, brushing its princess with a branch. It would offer her anything she needed in exchange for the protection that her kingdom provided. It was a beautiful symbiosis.

Though the trees could understand her words, she couldn't understand theirs. The trees had their own language, and they kept it secret and safe so that not even the forest nymphs who resided among them could understand. However, the tree whispered to its comrades and sent the message along. The princess would have all the help she needed. All she needed to do was say the word, and the help she needed would be given. They were her map now, and they would guide her.

Xxx

He groaned as he saw her from his window. She was approaching on foot, and though she was far away, he could see who she was. Her green contrasted the snow and made her an easy icon. He rubbed his temples and slipped his mask on, gritting his teeth. He wanted nothing to do with her. What the hell was she doing her, what did she want? She could have caught her death out there. He shook his head with a scowl. That could have been a good thing for him, anyway. He couldn't keep his heart from speeding up a bit.

"Damnit," he cursed, slipping down the steps. He might as well greet her. She'd come all this way, after all. He softened for a moment, taking a breath and standing behind the big doors at the foot of the castle. Simon never used those doors, so they were old and rusted, but Clark liked them, and seeing as he couldn't fly, they were convenient. He hesitated, unsure of what to do for a moment. Why would he answer the door for the likes of her? But before he could even ask himself any further questions, he pushed the doors open, looking stupefied that he had done so, and then stared at her, a bit of a confused, dazed frown settled upon his features. He didn't look in the least bit angry. On the contrary, he almost looked like an average teenage boy, if not a bit tall. But that was fine. It just meant that there was more to look at. Fern didn't mind that in the least.

"Hey, Clark," she said. "I wanted to stop by and see if you're alright." She shuffled there for a moment before she stepped closer. He didn't move, hardly able to process a thought. Seeing her in the snow was so different than seeing her in the woods. He stared at her, mouth moving, but no words coming out. "Are you okay? Clark?" She frowned and stepped closer.

"Please," he stumbled quickly. "Come inside. I… wasn't expecting you." He stood aside and gestured for her to enter. She gazed at him curiously before she entered with a slow smile.

"This place is so big," she uttered in sheer awe. "I always thought my home was large, but it's miniscule compared to this." He couldn't help but smile at the comment before he scowled. He had to stop this or he'd ruin himself. He mentally conflicted himself, brow puckered before he gave in and settled for a casual air, if not a bit distant. He wouldn't let her close, but he'd admire her all he wanted.

"It is," he agreed with a nod. "How long did it take you to travel here?" He looked at her with a grim frown, eyes watching her sternly.

"About an hour and a half, nothing incredibly burdening," she replied, a soft smile gracing her lips. He nodded again and looked away.

"You're probably freezing." He said with a slight hint of concern tinting his voice. "Would you like something warm to drink?" He hesitated over his last words, unsure. It came off as shy and insecure, which only made her beam at him to ensure that the offer was fine by her standards. He refused to let his cheeks heat at the sight of that smile, but he couldn't repress the smile that crept onto his lips.

"I'd really like that," she replied, eyes warm and soft. "Do you have tea?" He twitched and stared at the floor, brow furrowing again as he rubbed the back of his neck and led her along to the kitchen area.

"I really don't know," he said with the utmost of honesty. "I don't trust my d—Simon's cooking, when he remembers to feed us. So I sneak out and find something else to eat. We might have something hidden up in the cupboards… or something." She blinked before she covered her mouth and giggled. He blinked and raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. You just. You're so much more normal than I thought," she teased. "All this time, I thought you were a robot or something." Indignantly he glared at her, a pout slipping onto his mouth and making him look much like an overgrown child. She suppressed the next giggle and settled for a smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean that literally. I meant." She paused with a frown, pensive. "You don't show a lot of emotion. I was beginning to wonder if you even had any." His pout disappeared and was replaced with an almost sad frown.

"I have a hard time expressing myself around people," he responded. "So I act out angrily and cause trouble. There have to be people like me around, or the villains look disturbing and the heroes look godly." He sat her down at the ice table and put a finger to her lips. "Sh. From here on out, we're going to have to be extra quiet. If my dad finds out you're here, he'll—"

"Ice Prince, who's your fri—tell me that isn't Forest Princess!" The old man gasped, rushing into the room. He squealed in delight upon finding that it was her. "Oh, you did it! You finally decided to help me and brought me a wife! Oh, finally somebody to love me!" He sputtered on for another few minutes before he stopped breathlessly and pulled the younger man into a tight hug. "I love you, son." The boy blinked and frowned, awkwardly patting the man on the back. The princess stared at the two in complete and utter wonder, captivated by the odd situation and its impending outcome.

"I'd hate to tell you this, Simon, but she's not here for you," he offered a sheepish grin and looked away. "And I didn't bring her here. She just came to visit, and.." The king stared at him before he chuckled.

"That's why we _force_ her to marry me, silly! While she's here! Come on, please?" The boy sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"You don't understand, she—"

"_Pleeeease?"_

"I'm not here to get married!" she said, exasperated. She stood with wide eyes, watching the two. "Clark, you have to talk some sense into him, I'm not marrying anyone." He frowned before he looked over to the old man again, a bit of frustration mixing in with his awkwardness.

"You heard the lady, Simon, she's not going to marry anyone here. Just go back to stalking Bubblegum. That makes you happy, right?" The old man pouted but eventually nodded and crossed his arms before he sulked his way out of the kitchen and disappeared. The princess sighed and relaxed again, taking her seat. "Don't be surprised if he hints at this for the rest of the night. Or the week. Or this month. Or forever." He sighed and sat next to her for a moment, deep in thought. "I don't know what's wrong with him. But I promise, he didn't give any of it to me." He smiled with embarrassment evident upon his fine features. She flushed, smiling back a bit.

"I believe you," she replied with a gentle nod. He blinked before he hopped up.

"Right. You wanted tea?"

"Herbal if you don't mind," she chortled. He smiled at her over his shoulder and started his search. He wouldn't disappoint her. He never wanted to. He smiled the brightest smile he could when he found the little box of green tea and started brewing.

Xxx

She woke up the next morning in his bed. After their tea time, he'd taken her on a tour of the castle. It was a lot different seeing him smiling and laughing and joking. He'd lowered all defenses and broken down the walls, let her in. She liked this side of him, an energetic, happy, normal kid. It was refreshing. They'd spent the night enjoying one another's company, and before long, night fell and she had to leave. But he didn't let her.

"It's dark out," he'd said. "I don't feel comfortable letting you walk home all by yourself. You can sleep in the guest room across from mine." His offer was tempting enough. She took it with a smile. They spent another few hours chatting and getting to know each other better, and eventually he showed her to her room and showed her where his was, in case she needed anything. And then they went their separate ways and headed off to bed.

She didn't know how exactly it had come about, but sometime in the night, she'd joined him in his bed. He didn't complain. At all. He'd been a bit confused at first, with her odd mutterings, but eventually closed his eyes and pulled the covers back for her. She crawled in after him and curled up beside him. There was nothing romantic about this little act. She'd been having a nightmare, and ended up sleepwalking into his room. Though he had thought about advancing, he settled for closing his eyes again and nodding off.

That morning was like a dream to her. When she woke up, he was there, fully clothed and sleeping on top of the blankets. She was in the same state, save for the fact that she was under the covers, curled up in a warm little ball. He was still asleep, breathing even and deep. It wasn't often that he slept this heavily, but she didn't mind it at all. It was nice to see him so calm. Peace was not common with him, she'd noted.

She slipped from under the covers and crept a little closer to him, curious. What was under that beautiful mask he'd made, and why was he so adamant to hide it? Her hands slipped to the porcelain, fingers precise and gentle. She didn't want to wake him. He'd be angry if he knew she'd tried to remove it. She faltered after a moment and closed her eyes, settling with burying her face in the sleeve of his jacket. She'd find out what was beneath that mask, one way or another. Even if it wouldn't be today.

_Musical inspiration for this chapter:_

_Hold On—Tom Waits_

_Atlas Hands—Benjamin Francis Leftwich_

_Luna—The Smashing Pumpkins_

_Northern Downpour—Panic! At the Disco_

_Silver Coin—Angus & Julia Stone_


	7. A Moment of Stillness

_I really love writing this story, but I feel that it may be taking time away from my school work and home life. Unless you, my readers, can convince me otherwise, I'm thinking about putting it on hiatus until the end of May, that way I can end the school year and focus my attentions on this. I will miss writing for the weeks that I am missing._

_~Moony_

When Clark awoke, she was already gone—much to his demise. He put a hand to his head, eyes dreary. He was hit with a horrid migraine and let a nasty groan escape his lips before he stood up and trudged to the bathroom to wash his face and get a glass of water. He was already in an awful mood. So much for being happy. Perhaps if he paid her another visit.. No. he wouldn't do that to himself. He sighed and drummed his fingers against the mirror above the tiny sink, watching the water drip from his lips, chin, and the few strands of hair that had been soaked in the process of his rinsing. He shook his head quickly to dispel the water and cringed, head cracking again before he stood up straight. He'd need to get something in his stomach, and quickly. He felt pretty sick. He closed his eyes and pulled his mask away, letting his hair fall over his face to veil it. He needed to breathe.

Rubbing his temples, he slipped down the hallway and to the kitchen where he found one of the penguin residents holding a jar over his head.

"Shit! No, no! Stop, st-!" but it was too late. The shards fell to the floor with a crack. He cringed at the sound, holding his head. He hated migraines like this. They were absolutely awful. He shooed the penguin from the kitchen and cleaned up the mess before he went to find himself some breakfast. His stomach growled. He must have slept too well. He only got this way after entering REM. He swallowed a deep breath and pulled out something or another that looked at least edible. Before long, he was munching on semi-frozen, tasteless food and downing a glass of iced tea, the little bit that was left over from the night before. As he finished, he rested his head against the dinner table. This would be a long, long headache of a life.

Xxx

Months passed, and then a year. The days crawled by, people came and went, and his 'birthday' came around again. Twenty years old. He'd grown a bit, actually reaching the seven foot marker, which bothered him a bit. There would be no missing him in a crowd. Along with his height growing, his relationship with the little forest nymph had also taken flight. For the first few months, it had been similar to the first night she'd come to visit him. After long, though, things got to be a bit intimate. There wasn't much touching, but they felt the ease of expressing their thoughts to one another. And there was always the occasional night when she would curl up with him in bed and fall asleep there. He always slept atop the covers, and she'd burrow deep beneath and cuddle up to him. The warmth made him uncomfortable at first, but he learned to like it. He always got the best sleep when he was with her. He didn't like that much either, in the beginning, being unused to a natural amount of sleep. However, that grew on him too, and he came to love sleeping. They made each other happy, even if their intimacy was unspoken.

Being twenty didn't feel much different than being nineteen, he decided with a shrug that morning. He'd go see his girl, and that would be that. There wasn't to be any celebrations, nor were there to be any gifts. The greatest gift he could ask for was her smile. He felt like such a sap, thinking that, and he was glad that he didn't speak much. He'd make a fool of himself if he thought aloud.

As he stepped down the staircase, he paused. He could hear his father humming merrily in another room. That couldn't be good. He didn't have time to deal with the old man that day. He was to meet up with Fern in an hour, and the trek there wasn't a short one. He'd have to avoid him. Proceeding with caution, he continued down the hall with silent steps. However, he wasn't quite quiet enough, or perhaps the old man had learned to detect his son's presence. The man swept around the corner to catch him just in time.

"Ah! Ice Prince! Come quickly," he giggled mischievously. "I have a surprise for yooou…" he drawled, smiling brightly. The young man stared at the older before he sighed and followed after him.

"What is it?" he mumbled grumpily. "I have an important date, so make it quick." He blinked as they entered the living area. "Who's this?" The man before them had a wispy beard, and a strong build. Everything about him seemed like an air brushed painting, down to the clothes on his body and the crown upon his head.

"This is the Cloud King. He's agreed to join kingdoms in holy macaroni," the king said with glee, clapping his hands. The boy looked exasperated before he sighed and rubbed his temples.

"You mean matrimony," the heftier king said, crossing his arms. He had been hesitant to accept the offer when it was proposed, but seeing the boy now, he was satisfied. Intimidation was key in ruling a kingdom. "You are the Ice Prince, yes?"

"It's _Clark,_ for the umpteenth time," he growled. "I wish everyone would just stop with the princey crap." He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. The Cloud King frowned before he evaluated the young man again. He was around the same age as his daughter. He was handsome enough. He could assert himself. He'd make a fine suitor.

"Right. _Clark," _the man tested with a cynical frown. His eyes drifted around the room before he closed them and smiled darkly. "Today's your birthday, yes?" The boy slowly nodded his agreement. The man smiled and chuckled. "Why don't you and your father come along with me to my kingdom? I can show you what you will be merging with, and you may meet my da—"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time," he said with a scowl. "Perhaps we could reschedule, or—"

"Absolutely not. You must meet her right away! She's waiting on you." An angry smile slowly slipped to his thin lips. "Your little event can wait. This is much more important." Clark couldn't help but ball his fists in anger. He had no right to tell him what his priorities should be.

"You're entirely right, Cloud King!" Ice King said proudly, grabbing his son by the arm. "Let's go." The muscly man nodded and reached into his pocket. While he was distracted, the Ice King whispered to Clark. "I hear the Cloud Princess is totally hot." He said. "And I get to marry her!" Clark's brow furrowed momentarily before he sighed. The old man was so confused, all the time. He merely nodded and glanced over at the Cloud King as he pulled a fine dust from his pocket and blew into it. A portal opened and he gestured for them to enter.

"Go ahead. My kingdom is just on the other side." The two nodded and quickly crossed the threshold. The man followed after them, and the portal swallowed them all whole.

Xxx

They'd been sent off on a tour of the castle. It wasn't as big as the ice kingdom, but it was incredibly impressive. And so was she. The first thing that Clark noticed about the Cloud Princess was that she was incredibly attractive. However, she was not kind in the least. It made him uncomfortable to be around her. He was used to the gentle touch that Fern reserved for him, not an icy, matter-of-fact tone that lurked behind every word. By the time they'd rounded a fourth corner, entirely escaping the parents, the elegant princess looked at him with a smirk.

"We'll make lovely children someday, Ice Prince," she commented. "You're easy on the eyes." He scoffed and rolled his.

"I'm sure," he grumbled, crossing his arms. "It's Clark. Don't call me—"

"Ice Prince you are, and Ice Prince you shall be called. Get used to it." She watched him sharply. "Embrace the fact that your life is surrendered to me now." She smiled. "We'll be so happy, you know. Perhaps we don't know each other too well at the moment, but I can assure that you'll love me with time." She frowned at his silence. "There's another girl."

"Indeed there is," he replied with a glare. "I don't want anything to do with you."

"That's unfortunate," she giggled with a small smile. "You'll have to spend a lot more time with me. You _are_ to court me, after all." He glared at the ground and crossed his arms as they walked along. Pale gray skin, long purple white hair that fell in curls around her face, her pony tail, even the way she dressed; everything about her was sophisticated and dainty. She was beautiful. He detested her even more for her appearance. Beauty was only skin deep, and that was apparent with this lady. It interested him, but at the same time made him incredibly angry.

"That doesn't mean I want to," he replied, deciding it was best to not speak to her anymore, and simply explore the castle. Ignoring her seemed like the best way to go, so he did his best to shut her out and pay attention to architecture, old paintings. She rambled on about wedding plans, and mentioned something about rings. Even as he ignored her, being in her presence made his blood boil, and he couldn't help but wonder what his father was thinking.

'_Oh, that's right, he wasn't'_ he thought to himself. The old man had thought, after all, that _he_ was to be marrying the girl in place of his son. Like that would ever happen. Clark snorted and shook his head at the thought of the dainty little princess standing at the alter with that old man. She was younger than him, and she'd be his 'mother.'

_As if!_

Xxx

After their stroll, she took him to the banquet hall for lunch where she did her best to appeal to a 'more sensitive side' of the prince. He rejected each advance and never looked her in the eye unless he was pointedly glaring at her or stating his opinion that this was a horrid idea. Continually, she ignored him and carried on with plans, leaving him to stare down at his full plate without much of an appetite. He groaned as she drawled on and on.

Cloud Princess was incredibly good at running her mouth, even at the worst of times. She didn't really try to, nor did she try to be rude or angry or inconsiderate. She was spoiled, and that wasn't her fault, but her father's. However, she wanted what she wanted, and wouldn't give up until she had it. And dear _Gob in heaven_ she wanted this man like no other. He was intriguing and dark, mysterious, _attractive. _She wasn't trying to drive him away, but to pull him in! Oh, if only he could see that. She tried to be sweet, but ended in dejection, and tried to be direct—assertive—but ended with a simple nod of the head and a grunt. She'd never met a boy who _didn't_ want to court her. That was her biggest reason behind the envy. The other girl was lucky, but she wanted to be lucky too. She'd have him one way or another.

He scooted his food around on his tray for a long time before he finally looked up at her. She smiled at him prettily, and he took quick note that she hadn't even touched her food. He sighed and set his fork down with a scowl.

"If neither of us are going to eat, then what is the point of having lunch?" He asked pointedly, voice cold and monotonous.

"To get to know each other, of course," she replied with an injured frown. "You do want to know me, right?"

"Honestly, I—" He paused and watched her for a moment as she tried to hide the utter dejection in her eyes. She failed to mask her emotions. He shook his head and rested his forehead in his palm. "I have somebody else that I care about. She's special, and I don't have room for any more people than there already are. Half of a heart is hard to cooperate with." Her frown deepened and an edge of true, complete jealousy ebbed at the edges of her brain. He smiled insidiously. "I would very much like to leave. You see, she and I had a special date planned, and we were supposed to have our weekly picnic." The girl was growing increasingly uncomfortable, but after he said that she had interrupted their alone time, she felt a little bit better. In any case, she doubted her father would turn this offer down, and he'd be hers for the taking. A few restraints here, a curfew there, and ever the important rules, she'd have him at her beck and call before long. Though he was hesitant, she'd make a wonderful lover of him. The greatest part was that he could not refuse.

Xxx

"It's final then. We give them five months to create a bond, and then they get married." The Cloud King stated, signing the document with his quill pen. He passed it over to the ice king who was a bit disappointed, to say the least. He'd been so looking forward to having a marriage with the young woman, the princess of the clouds; however, he would settle for this. For once in his strange, sociopathic idiocy, he'd managed to do one thing that wasn't entirely selfish. He'd look out for his son, just this once. After all, that's what fathers did right? Hooked up their sons with hot princess babes? He signed the document before he smiled and handed it back to the more impressive king. The document sealed itself and disappeared into a puff of smoke. It was done.

They glanced up as the younger two entered, the girl clinging to Clark's arm, and the prince himself looking rather perturbed by her presence. His opinion was clear. He didn't want this.

"Father—"

"No need to thank me, son, everything is taken care of!" said the sociopath. "In two months from today, you'll be married." He didn't have the time or the brain capacity to realize that he had made the wrong decision. He'd sentenced his son to absolute misery until the day he died. This was the end of every bit of happiness he'd managed to acquire over the year he'd been alive in this odd world. He was too unbelievably dense to see the pain, the anger, the betrayal. It was all hidden behind his two masks; the porcelain that veiled his face, and the ice that lay beneath his skin. He shook the girl from his arm with a scowl. "Doesn't that make you happy, Clark?"

"Nothing would make me happier than to leave right now." Everyone watched him, frowns befalling their faces. The princess pouted and crossed her arms, awaiting an apology that was—simply put—never going to come. "I don't want anything to do with this. If that's not clear enough for you, then I don't know what is." He watched his old man coldly, eyes icier than ever before. There was a long silence before the Cloud King smiled, regaining his cynical and demanding demeanor.

"Young prince, your father and I have been speaking, and I've come to understand that you have been attempting to court the Forest Princess." Clark's eyes narrowed, jaw growing tight.

"What of her?"

"You see. There is some—hm—tension between my own kingdom and the forest kingdom. It would be a shame if something were to slip and create a new war." His eyes shot wide, a frown forming upon his lips. For the first time in years, his heart sped up from the adrenaline that had now shot itself through his body. The Forest Princess had told him many times that there wasn't much protection in the forest aside from the tribe of Moon Folk that was hidden somewhere among the trees. "Wouldn't it be absolutely dreadful if she were to be attacked in an ambush mission? She could be killed, you know. So frail, and too gentle to fight back." The Cloud Princess had regained her posture, matching her father's demeanor and cynical attitude.

"Or, I could keep her father. She'd make a lovely dungeon pet." Clark's head was whirling now. Damnit! He didn't want this. He didn't want any of this. He didn't want to marry this little brat. He didn't want to kill the girl that he cared for. Slowly, he lowered his head.

"I'll do what you want," he murmured. "But don't lay a finger on her." The satisfaction that filled the room was evident, along with the misery. A slight pang filled the old king's heart as he watched his son wither and cast him an icy, hateful glare.

"He'll stay with us for the next few hours to get acquainted with his future home," Cloud King said with a smile. "Don't worry; he'll be taken perfect care of." The Ice King didn't answer, nor did he say goodbye. He left in silence, only to ask himself:

"Dear Glob, what have I done?"

Xxx

She'd been waiting for hours for him to show up, and she'd grown quite a bit worried when he didn't show up. What if he'd been attacked by wolves, or some worse creature? What would she do, then? She could always take him to Tuwa and her people, and get their help, but he wasn't very popular among them. He'd been banned from the village on several occasions. Each time had to do with Tuwa and himself getting into a physical fight.

The worry building within her caused her to head in the direction of the Ice Kingdom. It was only after she'd felt the crunch of snow under her feet for twenty minutes that she came across a figure, small at first, but growing as it neared her. She could distinctly make out who it was, with their height and their lankiness.

"Clark!" She ran to greet him with an embrace. "Where have you been! I was waiting forever!" She looked up at him and smiled, only to meet a cold, hard gaze. "What's wrong?"

"We can't be together anymore." He pushed her away from him, staring her in the eye with a cold grimace. "Don't come around anymore." She blinked and shoved her hands in her pockets insecurely, caught off guard.

"C'mon, Clark, you don't mean that," she uttered, confusion laced in her tone. "What's gotten into you?" She reached out for him again only to have her hand swatted away.

"Don't touch me!" he muttered darkly. "Don't ever touch me. Don't come near me."

"But, I thought—"

"How many times do I have to tell you that _you thought wrong_?" he hissed. "I don't want you anymore. I don't need you. I'm bored, I'm sick of you. So just stay away." He looked away from her, glaring at the snow. She merely stared at him for a long time before he looked up at her angrily, growing impatient. "Get out of here! Leave!" He turned to go.

"Clark, there has to be some sort of mistake, I—"

"There is no mistake. There's nothing you've done. There's just nothing for us. We don't have a future. I feel nothing for you. I've used you. You're nothing but a pawn." He refused to look at her as he said those words, doing his best to swallow the guilt that was building within him. "So just go away and leave me alone forever." She didn't wait to be told a second time. She didn't want him to see her cry. By the time he glanced back over his shoulder, she had fled and left him to his own devices. He sighed and removed his mask before he smashed it against a rather large rock, eyes wild and angry.

"Damn you!" He yelled. "Damn you! Damn me! Damn it all!" He slumped against the rock, clasping all of the pieces in his fist until his fingers were all cut up and cold black blood rolled down his wrist. He grit his teeth and let the pieces go, staining the snow a red so dark that it was almost a tar-like black. He took a deep breath and pushed himself away from the little overhang and gritted his teeth, letting his hair fall into his face. They'd all regret it one day. He'd make them all regret it. He'd make them pay for every ounce of misery they gave him. He was sure of that. He'd made his oath in blood.

_Musical inspiration for this chapter:_

_Hanging on—Iridium + Blake Reary_

_A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall—Bob Dylan_

_Novocain For the Soul—Eels_

_Nowhere Near—Blake Reary_


	8. Luna

_So, I guess I'll keep writing for now. I might as well finish, though it appears I've lost the interest of most of my readers. It'll all be over soon. I don't plan to make more than ten chapters. Start the countdown._

_The beginning of this chapter really should have been uploaded as a part of chapter seven, but I guess it could serve as a nice flashback. For anybody who's taking the time to read anymore, I hope you enjoy. I'll be retiring—from this story—shortly. _

_~Pax Moony_

She always smiled when they touched. It felt natural to her, even if they didn't touch very often. Their days had been comprised of long hours in the sun, picnicking and exploring the wilderness, and cool nights making up stories about the moon and the stars. There was a respectful quiet between the two most of the time, but it was never an awkward silence. Their best conversations ensued without noise or words. That was one of the reasons that he liked her so much. The truth was short, sweet and simple; Clark and Fern displayed beautiful chemistry with one another. Their care for one another was deep, even if unspoken. They spent months attached at the hip.

That night, they sat out on the roof of her home, a small treehouse near her father's castle. Music and laughter could be heard from a little deeper in the woods, and every once in a while a howl or bark from a wolf resonated through the tress. Above the branches sat a great golden moon, washing everything below in a layer of silver light and illuminating the stars. It was Moongiving night. Fern had been invited, and Tuwa had reluctantly given permission for the Ice Prince to attend. Her opinion of the boy was obvious. She detested him to no end. But if her friend liked him, she'd make an exception. Just this once. They weren't quite ready to give up their privacy, however, so there they sat atop the roof, arm in arm. He watched her, and she watched the sky, her eyes luminous with the moonlight. He smiled as she rested her head against his shoulder and buried her face in his jacket. Softly, he stroked her hair, eyes soft and fingers gentle. With her, he only wanted to be gentle. He regretted the way he'd introduced himself and worried—many a time—that the only reason she wanted to be with him was out of fear. Or perhaps he'd given her a slight case of Stockholm's Syndrome. He'd remembered plenty of psychological illnesses from before the war. He couldn't help but ponder if he had any of them. She'd done her best to denounce that idea, but it had still managed to take residence in the back of his mind.

After a moment of pensive silence he rested his head against hers and closed his eyes.

"We should leave soon," he mumbled to her, putting his lips to her ear. She shook her head and nestled closer to him.

"Just a few minutes more," she pleaded, looking up at him. She smiled, soft and warm, patient. In this lighting, he could see just how beautiful she was, her skin paled by the moon. He had never wanted to kiss somebody so badly. Their eyes locked. She felt her heart speed up. He wasn't the only one anxious and nervous here. She wanted him to kiss her. She craved his lips, but waited patient and quiet as ever. He tilted her chin up and she closed her eyes. But the kiss never came. He simply pulled her into his lap and rested his forehead against hers, arms wrapped about her in an amorous hug. Her heart sank in slight disappointment before she pulled him closer and tangled her fingers in his hair. A slight flutter of hope filled her breast for a moment, made her heart skip as he rubbed the small of her back. But disappointment grew once more when he didn't move from his position.

'_My mask would get in the way,'_ he thought to himself. _ 'And she'll never want to kiss me if I remove it.'_ He sighed and hugged her again before he shook his head again. Her heart sank for the last time as he pulled away. She smiled, regardless, and he reflected her.

"We really should go," he said, taking her hands. She bit her lip in momentary protest before she nodded in defeat. He stood and then helped her to her feet, squeezing her fingers softly. He offered a more genuine smile. "Tuwa will begin to think I murdered you if we take much longer." They both lauhed at that before they started down the ladder. He reached the ground first, and steadied her when she tripped on the bottom rung. They smiled at each other again, held fast to one another before they started along a path in search of the noise that they had been invited to.

Xxx

As they entered the wooded village, they were hit by the wave of sound that had so well resonated throughout the forest. The outskirts of the little town were abandoned and dark, but the fire glow from the square at the center cast the buildings into beautiful shades of orange and yellow, their shadows contrasted purple. The singing and chanting that came from the square carried over the rooftops and lured the young couple into the clearing. The gathering before them was wild and rambunctious. Half of the gathering was, indeed, chanting and dancing, singing and romping; the other half, however had phased into their Moon Children forms, the great wolves that barked and howled late into the night during Moongiving. Not a single one of them looked the same as another. Despite the contrast between the figures here, all was harmonious. Everyone was smiling and laughing and getting along. Fern smiled brightly, holding tight to her dear friend's arm. He smiled in appreciation of the scene until the other nymph approached them, a faux smile pasted on her face. He quickly looked away. He knew how she felt.

"Hello my dear!" She threw her arms around her younger friend and squeezed her. "Clark." She glared and nodded at him curtly, hugging Fern tighter. The green girl coughed in protest, trying her best to remain polite. A silver haired wolf had followed behind the sunshine nymph, and he watched Clark with a careful eye, untrusting. Clark stared back at the wolf, pulling uncomfortably at his jacket sleeves.

"So, this is Moongiving, huh?" he mumbled with a discomforted scowl. Having those eyes on him made him incredibly antsy. The great canine nodded in confirmation before it opened its mouth, revealing sharp white teeth.

"That's correct," he said. "I am Gray." Clark twitched and jumped at the voice, unsure if he was hallucinating.

"Did you just—"

"Speak? Indeed!" He laughed and stretched out. When he stood back up, he was a gray haired young man with great ears pointed to the sky. His sharp teeth were still apparent, and a tail swung behind his legs, but he was otherwise humanoid. "I am the leader of this pack." He gestured to the gathering of people before he smiled darkly. "Don't get any ideas. My bite is much more lethal than hers." He threw his head in the direction of a pouting Tuwa before he took her by the hand.

"Right," Clark mumbled, insecure now that he'd been threatened. He watched as the man led the sunshine nymph into a dance, both of them laughing and enjoying one another's company. Fern slowly clung to him again.

"We're not dancing," she warned him, biting her lip.

"Why's that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't dance." She pursed her lips and her fingertips dug slightly harder into his arm. He chuckled and petted her hair.

"Then we won't dance," he affirmed. "I promise."

Xxx

He had her dancing by the end of the night, the liar, but she'd enjoyed herself, and he'd taught her how to dance. He'd been clumsy a bit himself, to be truthful. He blamed it on a thousand years of being captive in ice. She'd laughed and dubbed him the greatest excuse maker in the history of Ooo. He didn't mind, since it was her, but decided not to take any more stock in dancing. He didn't need it, anyway, it wasn't like he was going to spend the rest of his life dancing.

All of the festivities had been grand, but before they could blink, the fire had burned down to embers, and the party had to end. They were left with memories of delicious food, outrageous games, thrilling dance numbers; there had been fire eaters, which had fascinated Clark to no end, and there was a moment when they all passed around the traditional 'smoke stick.' Fern hadn't taken part of that, but Clark was a guy, and it was his job to partake in stupid reckless activities. He'd made himself sick on the smoke. He'd had to sit down for a good twenty minutes for his head to clear, and she'd sat with him the entire time, scolding him about his actions, and how she'd worried him. They were happy, despite it all.

She took him home with her, and they'd shared her bed for the night. As always, he slept atop the covers, and her deep beneath them. They both slept peacefully that night, exhausted from the night's events. She fell asleep with his jacket on. He'd given it up for her earlier that evening when she'd complained about being a little chilly; wrapped her in it to keep her warm. She'd accepted it happily, and didn't want to take it off after he'd offered it to her. This was happiness, he'd thought to himself. He didn't want it to end. A smile crept to his lips when she clung tighter to him than before, her body heat warming him as well. He'd come to truly enjoy the warmth in her. It was a nice warmth, a steady, stable warmth, and it made him warm too. This was what he wanted to have; this was what he wanted the rest of his eternity to be. Just laying there, in bed, watching her through sleepy eyelids as she slept. He pulled her closer as he drifted off. Dreams were calling to him now, and that was incredibly alluring. Before he knew it, he fell into REM, a deep happy sleep.

Xxx

He sat up with a jolt. He'd been dreaming of her again. He hated those dreams. They induced a heart wrenching amount of nostalgia in the young man. He rubbed his temple, grief and pain evident upon his features. Next to him, the Cloud Princess turned over to watch.

"What's the matter with you?" She blinked, propping herself up on an elbow. Even after being asleep, she managed to be beautiful. He cast a cold glance in her direction, emotional mask rebuilding itself.

"Nothing's wrong with me. It's none of your damned business anyway." He pushed himself away from the bedside and grabbed his day clothes. She'd joined him in his room with the hopes of seducing him, truth being told. She knew that he was stubborn, but if he gave into her, just once, perhaps she could have her way. He never gave into her, keeping her as far as he could from him. He didn't want a thing to do with her, and that was evident. She still did her best to make him feel that he needed her. She even tried filling in as the girl that he dreamed about so often; however, he was a light sleeper. If she tried to scoot closer to him in the night, he pushed her away, and he didn't like her touching him the way she did. He was much too smart for the likes of her majesty, but she refused to recognize this. Stubborn as he was, she was even more so, which bothered him to no end.

He sighed and shook his head, walking to the bathroom to get changed from his pajamas and wash his face. He didn't remove his mask until he'd closed the door and locked it. Not even the most despised person in his life would see his horrid face. He refused to allow it, never ever. He held a handful of his hair for a moment, staring at himself in the grandiose mirror that hung in that gaudy bathroom. He shook his head again, raking his fingers through that thicket of hair. He took a deep breath and pulled the mask away.

He'd constructed a new mask since his episode in the woods, a much more expertly crafted one. The edges were no longer faulty and jagged, but smooth and polished white porcelain. It fitted to his face and didn't waver once, the expression more vivid, a deep-rooted scowl that would never falter. He'd actually created a variety of new masks since his move into the Cloud Kingdom. He had plenty to spare, but kept them hidden away in a secret place. He'd have a chance to wear each of them, sometime or another.

He let the faucet run for a few minutes, steam filling the bathroom. He missed the warmth, now that he thought about it. Being cold wasn't natural to him anymore. He gripped the side of the sink and cringed, eyes trained on the mirror. He hated his life. He hated the world, he hated where he was going. He couldn't feel but for the remorse that had built itself within him; everything else was numb and dark, cold and closed off.

'_She's gone,' _he thought to himself, trembling over the sink. After a year of feelings, and a year of being close, the sudden loss of his dear friend was a shock, and it was hurting him in more ways than comprehensible. He stared down at the running water, eyes wavering for a moment before he submerged his hand into the stream, and then brought some of it to his face to wake himself up. He had to get out of this. He wasn't getting anywhere. This bad place in his head, it was starting to drive him crazy. He had to get away.

Xxx

"Why are you crying, little princess?" he'd asked softly. She'd been sitting there for hours, back up against a sympathetic oak tree. Clark's words had sent her off into a daze, at first, a shock that kept her from crying and being angry. But the words eventually sank in, and she'd collapsed to the forest floor in fretful waves of sadness. That's how he'd found her, he'd followed the trees, gone where they'd told him to. He'd taken a squatting position before her, and she'd been so absorbed in her crying that she hadn't noticed him until he spoke, at which point she looked up at him. He'd startled her.

"Who are you?" she asked, eyes widened in confusion. "What do you want from me?" He blinked and cocked his head to the side before he smiled a little, empathetic. He pointed to a logo on his sweatshirt, a little plant with the word "Ivy," scribbled beneath it.

"Friends call me Ivy," he said. "I just want to know what's the matter." He changed to a more comfortable position, sitting cross-legged in front of her. She took in his appearance; dark hair, with soft purple-blue skin. He was dressed in deep, cool colors. She'd never seen a person in Ooo like him. He spoke oddly too, something like an accent, but she'd never heard this one before.

"You're not from around here," she commented quietly. He frowned, crossing his arms grumpily.

"You're avoiding my question."

"It's none of your business."

"I'm just trying to be friendly with a pretty girl," he grumbled, raising an eyebrow. He softened a bit when she shrunk away from him. He frowned, holding out a hand for her to touch. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." He smiled, just a little, gentle. "I'm not bad." Slowly, she reached out and let her fingers fall against his. He was warm and soft, unlike the boy who had just broken her heart, cold and hard. "See? Not so bad, right?" She shook her head, agreeing with him. "What's your name, princess?"

"Fern," she replied, less afraid. "How do you know I'm a princess?" He smiled and looked up at the trees.

"They told me," he glanced up at the branches. Her brow furrowed.

"That's not possible. The trees speak a language that nobody else can understand," she uttered. He blinked before he chuckled again.

"You've obviously never met a dark elf," he mused, eyebrows raised. She stared at him before her brow puckered even further.

"That's not possible, dark elves are—"

"Not extinct. Just scarce." He chuckled again and pulled off his sweatshirt. "Here, it's chilly. Why don't you put this on? You don't want to catch your death out here." She stared at him incredulously before she pulled the sweatshirt over her head, grateful. He offered her a hand and they stood up.

"Aren't you cold?"

"No, I'm used to weather like this." He smiled. "I'm from far, far north. It's always pretty chilly." She watched him before she nodded and closed her eyes in understanding.

"Thanks, but, I don't understand," she mumbled. "Who are you, what do you want, and why do you want to help me?" He patted the oak tree's trunk with a small smile.

"These guys have never steered me wrong," he said, honest. She watched him before she smiled a little bit too. She took the time to walk back in the direction of home with him, still torn up, but capable of ignoring the hurt in the company of another being. By the time he'd gotten her home, she was smiling and a little bit better off than before. She didn't know him very well, but he seemed like a good person. He offered a shallow bow to her as he stood back.

"I hope you feel better soon, Princess," he said. She watched him before she offered a sad smile.

"I thank you for your concern, Ivy," she allowed with a nod.

"Perhaps we could meet again?" he asked, hopeful, but she only shook her head.

"I don't think I'll be able to." She looked away. "I have a lot of things that I need to work out." He frowned, but nodded.

"I can understand that," he replied with another bow. "Until…. Well. Until we meet again, Princess." Just like that, he ghosted away as if he'd never been there before. The princess fell to her bed and wept even more than she had back in the forest. What had she done to deserve this? Was she bad to him? Was he really as disinterested as he claimed to be? What had she done? She didn't know, and she wouldn't know. But she cried anyway, and she cried through the night until she fell asleep, her body giving out from exhaustion. Sleep would bring her a little peace, for now.

Xxx

Ivy had decided that he wanted to see that beautiful girl again. He could see her pain, and he knew what it was like to feel that way. He wanted to help her, to make things all better. The trees had told him stories of the girl since he had arrived in Ooo. It was love at first sight, the poor boy was head over heels for her. She was perfect.

It wasn't until he was halfway back to his new home that he realized that he'd left her with his sweatshirt. A small smile formulated on his lips. This would be a lovely excuse for him to go visit her. And visit her he would.

Xxx

A month and a half passed, and the world seemed to go back to an average state of decay. Days passed and so did nights. Fern, in hopes of covering up her heartache, had absorbed herself in the new boy that had been so eager to introduce himself to her, and before long, she was feeling better. Everything was going much more smoothly, and she felt almost normal again. She just wished that it was Clark there with her. She hated him for what he'd done to her. Eight long months of being together, and he dropped her like a rock. She hadn't seen him since. She hadn't heard from him. She did her best not to worry.

He didn't want her to worry. He wanted her to be happy without him. That was why he was sitting at a table with a girl he despised, planning a wedding. He was absolutely miserable. He was losing his mind. He was going insane. She was driving him crazy. She never left him alone, always advancing, always trying to win his affections, always failing. Nothing she did made him feel any better. The Cloud Princess was simply another girl that he wanted to rip the head off of. He'd taken to being silent and angry, spiteful to anyone he met. Nobody was worthy of his smile, so he never gave it to anyone. The pressure just kept building, building, building. One of these days, he was going to explode.

_Musical inspiration for this chapter:_

_Welcom Home, Son—Radical Face_

_Knights—Minus the Bear_

_Confessions—The Orbweavers_

_Hanging On (Iridium Remix)—Blake Reary + Iridium_

_Rake—Alela Diane_

_Depressing stuff is depressing._

_Stay tuned. He's gonna snap one of these days._

_Love Moony_


	9. Turning Me Into The Monster I Am Today

_Hey guys, Moony here. Just wanted to let you in on a few things. The planned ending for the story is a little sad if you are attached to the characters. The next couple of chapters are going to be rather murderous; I will admit that I cried writing the ending, and I will offer an alternate ending if you, my readers, are dissatisfied._

_For those of you still reading, I appreciate your continued support to no end. I plan on writing more stories in this universe, if you are interested in a "series" of sorts. Anyway, here's our semi-finale, the second to last real chapter. I might make an eleventh if you want a more upbeat ending._

_Just remember, this is a dark story, based mostly on the human condition and how relationships contribute to it. It was going to be messed up from the beginning._

_Lots of love_

_~Moony_

The day had come. He sat uncomfortably at his bedside and she watched him expectantly, eyes narrowed coldly before she turned over and closed her eyes to go to sleep. There was one-sided warmth between them, but after two months of being rejected and treated with cold indifference, her patience had thinned. She could only look forward to the next night.

The wedding plans were all in place, and would commence just after sundown. The castle itself had been polished to a blinding luster and gaudy white. Every man, woman, and child was to assemble within the great hall of the fortress and watch as the Cloud Princess glided down the aisle to seal the fate of the man who hated her more than anyone else in the world. He didn't pretend to be happy. They'd been through several rehearsals, most of which he'd ruined with the three sarcastic words "I do not" as his response to the vows asked of him. She'd been very upset with him the first time, breaking down in private and begging him to be civil for once. He'd merely watched her, expressionless and eyes icy. She pleaded with him for a solid fifteen minutes and gained no response from him. Over the last two weeks, he'd become entirely despondent, rarely speaking unless he was offering an angry retort or a sarcist remark. She was hurt by his distance; and that was apparent. He simply didn't care about anything. He didn't eat, becoming thin and cadaverous in appearance, and the nights that he spent sleeping were filled with nightmares and nostalgic memories; the face of an all too familiar girl haunted him. He gave up the idea of sleeping rather quickly, spending his nights crafting a new mask. He didn't want his face to be associated with this marriage, nor would he allow his lips to be free. They were reserved, and so they would never be touched.

He smiled with satisfaction as he finished carving, setting the porcelain down. Unlike his other masks, this one would cover the entirety of his face. He glanced over at his sleeping fiancée, eyes clouding darkly again. The depth of his hatred was incomprehensible, comparable to nothing else. He missed Fern. He hung his head and sighed. He'd have to leave her alone. He'd only hurt her if he saw her now. He'd briefly tasted happiness. He had the rest of his life to acquire a taste for misery. He laid back in his bed and stared up at the ceiling, illuminated by the moonlight that pooled in through the great balcony door's windows. He was quiet for a long time before he stood back up again, barely able to stay in one place long enough to make up his mind about anything. He went to the balcony door and slowly pushed it open, slipping out and looking over the endless clouds beneath him. He could see, far below, through a break in the covering, the land of Ooo, sleeping soundly with the silence. The wind whipped softly at his hair, and he slowly removed his own mask, letting it rest against the railing that protected those who stood there from falling to their death. He hung his head enough to see below him the forest and where it mingled with the Ice Kingdom, white mixing in with green. He closed his eyes again and swallowed a deep breath. There was too much to lose now, and he'd never let it all go. He'd save her, at the expense of his happiness.

Tomorrow marked the start of a new nightmare, one that he wished he wasn't involved in; marriage. He shook his head and watched the city before he turned back to the door, grabbing his mask and watching through the glass the woman whom he so greatly despised. He lowered his head again before he returned to her side and did his best to sleep. He knew the dreams wouldn't leave him alone, but for now, those dreams would be his escape.

Xxx

He placed the mask into place with expert precision and hid a dark, cheerless smile behind it. The world had ended as he knew it, and he was going to his end. He closed his eyes as he was led to the altar, an empty hall with nobody inside yet. In an hour or so, the room would be stuffed from corner to corner with thousands of people from the Cloud Kingdom and many other places throughout Ooo.

He watched grimly as he was introduced to the bridesmaids, several women he'd never met before. He also had the privilege of meeting his best man, yet another unfamiliar face among the masses of tuxedos and gaudy dresses. He hated every last ounce of this arrangement; the way the people the dressed, the way he was to be married, the music, the bride. He absolutely hated her. Beyond all, though, he was angry with his father for putting him into this position.

"I'm doing this for you, Clark," the old man had told him just hours earlier. "So that you don't have to be miserable like me!" A bitter pity had filled Clark enough for him to sigh and agree to whatever it was that he was to do. He cared too much for the old man not to. He'd come to see him—even if he was crazy and dysfunctional—as a fatherly figure in this odd, odd world. He was still disgusted by the lack of knowledge that the king displayed, but he'd grown used to it enough to dismiss it as a symptom of old age.

After what felt like hours of standing up at the pulpit, face veiled by that ominous porcelain mask, the music finally struck up in a signal that the bride approached. Though he'd hate to admit it, she was the most beautiful, otherworldly thing he'd ever laid eyes upon. Her hair was down, falling around her back and shoulders in silvery purple curls, her skin fair, but her eyes still cold and wanton. There was nothing in her that suggested a good day—nor a good night—unless she got what she wanted. She'd have what she wanted.

He glared at her from behind his porcelain before he turned back to the odd little man that seemingly spoke in a high pitched gibberish. He'd done his best to memorize what he was supposed to stay, but still slipped up, gaining a scoff from his fiancée. He slipped his ring onto her finger, and then in turn she slipped hers onto his. After several minutes of the little man's rambling, the girl unveiled herself and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him coldly on the mask; just where his mouth would be if it were exposed.

"By the power of the cosmic owl invested within me, I pronounce you man and wife!" the Cloud King erupted heartily, eyes scrunched up with insidious joy. Clark smiled malevolently as the exchange was finished and the princess took him by the arm. He led her down the aisle. The audience cheered and guffawed long after they had exited the building and mounted the train to wherever it was that they were going to spend their honeymoon. And even after the exchange of nonsensical words that had sealed him to the woman, he felt no warmth or love for her at all. He was even colder and more alone than he had been before.

Xxx

_A year passed._

An entire year had passed since Fern had met the charming young man who had introduced himself as Ivy. Though she'd been insistent that she didn't think it was a good idea to meet again, he'd shown up on her porch step merely a week later. She'd accidentally kept his sweatshirt, and he'd come to take it back from her. She'd managed to sober up a bit since her dealings with Clark, and managed a short, polite conversation with him, and she came to find that he was funny and genuine, a true gentleman for his age. By the time he had to go, she asked _him_ if they might meet again, to which he'd eagerly agreed.

In that year of knowing each other, he'd decided that he wanted no other girl. He spited the man that she spoke of in her sleep, and wished that he had been the one to hold her from the beginning. Her heart had hurt her for so long because of that one man; the Ice Prince. Detestation was evident among the elf, so the forest princess did her best to avoid Clark as a topic of discussion; he was an old lover, she didn't need to drag his name into a new relationship.

After months and months of doing his best to woo her, she finally gave in and let Ivy have a shot at her. He won her first kiss, and she had—rather enthusiastically—shared it. Ivy, sadly, was her rebound, when their relationship began. He cared so deeply for her, and she did have feelings for him, but he was mainly a distraction; something to keep her from thinking deep into the night about somebody she'd never known well enough to call him hers. Now she did have somebody, and that should have pleased her, and she thought that perhaps it did. However, reality hits a woman hard and leaves her with a sense of dissatisfaction over the one that got away. So, naturally, she still dreamed of the prince who had so long ago broken her heart.

She didn't know where he was, nor did she know that he had spent the last year sharing his bed with a stranger. She didn't know where his mind was, or if he was doing well. She knew that his twenty-first birthday had come and gone, and thought that he was probably off drinking with his father.

What an awful mistake of a thought. He'd spent his birthday in a drunken slump, indeed, but a depressed one, alone, in a giant castle that was as empty as he was. At least, it felt like it was that empty. These days, it was hard to tell.

She sighed and shook her head; she was thinking about him again.

'_Can't I have five minutes? I just want to read my book,' _she thought internally, laying her head back against the wall. She'd spent the past hour spaced out with her favorite book open in her lap. She'd managed to read, in all, three sentences before she fell into a dazed world of day-dreams. Now, she attempted once more to lift her book and become absorbed in something other than Clark. _'Just five minutes, it's not much.'_ Ivy would be over soon. They'd made plans, as usual, and were to go about a hike through the woods. This wasn't unusual behavior for the young couple. She looked forward to his company, and it was no secret that he loved being with her. Sometimes, though, she still felt a little empty spot within herself where once sat Clark. However, as time went on, she became more and more willing to dismiss these feelings, and accepted Ivy more and more as the person she wanted to spend her life with. The more she thought about that idea, the less she minded it.

She looked up as the lanky young man knocked on the door, entering without a response. He wore a huge grin upon his thin lips, and watched her with the utmost of admiration in his gaze. She smiled back at him, giggling a bit.

"Hey, lady," he said as he crashed down onto the bed next to her. "Whatcha reading?"

"Nothing special," she held up the little novel, an old, battered copy of one of J. T. Dog's books. He blinked before he chuckled a bit.

"I've heard from many that those books are full of nonsense." He poked her nose and pulled her into a hug, admiring her figure inwardly. She laughed and nodded vigorously.

"Of course they're full of nonsense. That's what makes them so entertaining." He smiled and gave her a soft peck on the lips.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, taking her hands in his, eyes gleeful and warm. She smiled back at him and stretched.

"I'm always ready, Ivy, that's something that you never seem to be able to comprehend." She pat him on the cheek before she stood, returning her book to its rightful place on the shelf with its brothers and sisters. "There we go. Let's get out of here, huh?" He nodded his agreement and led her out the door, caressing the top of her hand with his thumb. It was spring, and the freshly budded leaves and blades of grass were all covered in raindrops from an earlier shower. The sun beat down on them from above, and warmed them enough for Ivy to break free of Fern's hand and remove his sweatshirt. Everything was perfect, right down to the scenery. Or, at least, they thought.

Eyes watched from the forest, unbeknownst to them, angry, devastated eyes. The one day that he'd worked up the nerve to come and visit. She'd moved on. She'd left him behind, just like he'd hoped she would. However, now that he saw her here with somebody else—that boy holding the hand that should be _his_ to hold—he couldn't help but feel angry and betrayed.

Clark had been on his way to visit the little princess for the first time in a year. He hadn't changed, but she had, dear gob. He hadn't been expecting to run into her along the winding path that led back to her home. She'd let her hair grow, and she'd filled out into an even more feminine form than the last time he'd seen her. Admiration and regret hit him like a wrecking ball when he saw her again. He'd just been about to approach her when the second party came into view, the boy that she now shared her time with.

He backed farther into the wood, staying deep within the cover of leaves and branches and watching them walk along their merry way. As soon as they were gone he removed his mask, shame flashing across his features before a fit of anger arose within him. A floodgate of emotions had been broken. He was done.

Xxx

His wife sat at her vanity, undressing her pretty face for bed, when he got home. She offered a faux smile as his tall, lean figure entered the room. He remained silent, looking up at her reflection. She scowled when she caught sight of the mask, covering the entirety of his face.

"You where that much too often, Clark, dear," she scolded. "Really, you should let yourself breathe more, you'll suffocate." He didn't nod or shake his head in response, he merely watched her, making no move to remove it. She sighed and set her hairbrush down before she turned around to face him. "Clark," she uttered, a little more soft than before. "Why don't you ever let me see your face? It feels so lonely, staring at a piece of glass all the time." For once, the tone in her voice was genuine. "I'm your wife, and you haven't kissed me once." He still remained silent, even as she lifted her hands to his porcelain and slipped her fingers beneath it, She smiled softly. "Hold still, Clark. It'll only be a moment, and…" She pulled the mask away.

Pain shot through the beautiful woman's chest. Once. Twice. Thrice. She couldn't scream, the pain was too intense. He shoved her onto the bed and revealed his knife, a long silver dagger stained red with blood. He stabbed her again. And again, and again, and again. Over and over, he plunged the knife down into her torso. There was no anger in his gaze that she saw. He was entirely blank, void of any life. A dead man in living skin. Though the pain was intense, and her vision had blurred, the last thing that she'd seen was the awful distortion of his uncovered face, scarred to pieces and leaving half of him in a dismal smile.

Death collected the maiden that night, along with her father and more than half of the residents of the cloud kingdom.

Finn had work to do.

Xxx

The freshly widowed young man had abandoned the Cloud Kingdom and returned to his father's castle, which was entirely predictable. The news of his slaughter had not reached the Ice King's ears—that or the man had simply shrugged it off—for he was welcomed home with open arms. Whispers around Ooo had spread like wildfire, and within only a few days, Clark was wanted by several kingdoms—including Princess Bubblegum's—for a heavy sum. He was to be tried and put to death for his gruesome crime; this time there would be no slap on the wrist.

Finn the human, only nineteen years of age, had put himself into good practice and considered himself ready for anything that this icy prince could throw at him. He wasn't in it for the money, but the glory. Destroying evil was his job, and Clark was no exception to the rule. But was he evil? Or just damned crazy? Maybe he was a nasty mix of both. Finn nodded his approval to this, quiet and pensive. Jake softly nudged him with an extra paw.

"Hey man, you okay?" he asked, voice soft and a bit dejected. Situations like this were outputting when you knew that somebody could be a good person. Finn slowly nodded and sighed.

"Buddy, do you ever get tired of kicking butts?" he asked, eyes curious. The dog blinked before he shook his head enthusiastically.

"No way, bro! Evil's gotta go down, somehow," the dog replied, voice hearty again. Finn blinked before he laughed and leaned back a bit.

"Yeah. Me neither, dude." He sighed in thought, hardening again. "You think he'll be tough?"

"Probably, but nothing we can't handle. We're a smart couple of guys."

"The question is if he's smarter."

"He isn't."

"How would you know?"

"I just do, I'm a dog, and dogs know these things." They both laughed for a few minutes before they picked up speed. There was no rush—they knew the prince's behavior; he wouldn't run—but they were still anxious to have it over and done with. There was still a chance that they might not win. They'd faced worse things. The Lich had been a cunning and powerful opponent, as had Goliad, and Marceline; and though they had all been mad off of their heads, they'd never experienced someone who had let people die so slowly and painfully. Killing was one thing; making people suffer was another. A terrorist is much less disturbing than a torturer.

The way the bodies had been found in the Cloud Kingdom was, indeed, cruel and unusual. Some had been gutted; others had been carved up like watermelons on Candy Night. Bones had been broken, some even removed, their faces torn to pieces. The princess had been a sorry sight when they found her. So many people, when she was alive, had coveted her for her skin and eyes. After she was dead, he'd gouged those pretty eyes out, and then her heart. When he had finished with that, he skinned her in his fury. It was all in fury. The people left alive were traumatized, terrified of the demon of a man that had destroyed their home and beloved princess. Though she'd been an awful wife, and a bit of a brat at times, she'd always been good and kind to her subjects, who praised and idolized her from the day of her birth. The Cloud People gave him a new name, not wishing to speak his old one.

"Cold Prince," Finn tested with a frown. It was odd not calling him Clark. "How'd he get that name? Because of his Ice Powers?"

"No, Finn," uttered Jake. "It was from the way he'd coldly slaughtered so many people. I guess his Ice Powers are just an added bonus. Some of the people say that he didn't show a single emotion when he went about doing it."

"Oh." There was a tense silence between the two as they made their entry into the castle and stormed the hallways, looking for their person of interest. There was silence for a long time before the Ice King found the two.

"Hey guys! Whatcha doing?" he asked, nonchalant. "Been a while since I've seen either of you around." He studied the two before he rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. "Something wrong? Guys?

"Where is the Ice Prince?" Finn demanded, standing tall with his head held high.

"He's here." The man shrugged. "What do you need him for?"

"We're here to kill him."

"What!? No! You can't just barge into my home and kill my kid!" He took up a defensive pose, ready to strike. "Stay back! Get out, I'm warning you, I'll kick your butt!"

"Ice King, just hand him over." Finn sighed. "We don't want any trouble with you. We're trying to keep everybody else sa—" He was cut off as the king fired a blast of ice at them, anger growing.

"I'm going to kill you! Taking away the one thing that I have to nurture!" he screeched, chasing after them. Finn scurried down the hallway, Jake at his heels, as he drew his sword and raised it to battle. He deflected several more accurate shots with the blade, eyes trained on the crown atop the Ice King's head. He lunged, crying out as he brought the sword down in an attempt to remove it. He missed.

Xxx

"Hold still, Fern," Clark hissed. "And don't make a sound." In an attempt to win back what he lost, he'd gone after the girl—and her lover—after killing everyone in that gobforsaken place. Ivy was frozen stiff in the corner, leaving him only a little space to breathe through his nose. At any moment the prince pleased, the ice would melt. From there he could either free the young man, or kill him. Fern sat idly upon the stool, as instructed, doing everything she was told. She was too afraid to disobey, casting terrified glances to Ivy. He couldn't see, nor could he hear. He was unconscious within the ice, having room only for bodily processes such as breathing. Clark glanced over the princess before he smiled mirthlessly through his hair, eyes dark and cold.

"You look so beautiful. All quiet and fearful," he brushed the back of his hand over his cheek. "What's the matter? No love left in your heart for the likes of me? Was there every any room?" He grabbed a handful of her hair, and she let out a soft whimper of pain, cringing as he tugged at it.

"Stop, that hurts!"

"Look at me!" he cried. "Look at who I am! Don't you see me here? Don't you know me?" She stared at him in silence, swallowing a deep breath and another cry as his grip tightened.

"No. No, I don't know you." He was quiet for a long time before he released her and paced the room, glaring down at the floor.

"Where are they, where are they," he spat. "They should have been here by now." As if on cue, the pair of heroes smashed through the door, gaining a deranged smile from the villain. "There you are! There we have it, they're here!" He laughed, as if some sort of massive joke had been told. Finn stood lingering in the doorway, looking disgusted with the display before him.

"You're keeping the Forest Princess in bondage!" the younger boy shouted. "The crimes just keep piling up, don't they Ice Prince?"

"Crimes? I don't feel as though I've committed any crimes." The prince smiled even wider and crossed his arms behind his back, summoning a magical blade of ice. "I feel liberated! It's all so very liberating!" Finn cringed and gripped his sword tighter.

"I don't want to fight you," he began. Before he had a chance to speak, the older man lunged at him, knife raised.

"Oh, but I want so badly to fight you!" He laughed. The battle that ensued seemed endless; a madman doesn't give in. Blades clashed, words were thrown at each other. A hole in the ceiling was made, and they found themselves fighting atop the roof. Fern had hopped up from her seat in hopes of better hearing the beating above. Alas, she only heard muffled shouts and the occasional bark from Jake.

At last, there was a hushed silence. Everything was still. Her fists clenched tight, in hopes that Finn had won a fair fight, but spared the life of the man she once cared for so deeply. A great smile flooded her lips as she saw the silhouette of somebody holding a hat, bathed in sunlight. He remained upon the roof, watching her through the gaping hole in the ceiling.

"Dear Gob, Finn, I was so worried!" she cried. There was no sound from the boy. "Come back inside, you'll catch your death out there!" There was a long pause before they dropped the hat inside, and then let themselves drop down with it.

Standing before her was Clark, cold and masked, with that dark smile upon half of him, and a scowl upon the other. Laying on the floor just a ways in front of him lay Finn's hat, soiled and bloodied.

"Finn the Human is dead."

_Well. Extra long chapter for you. With some extra action on the side._

_Musical Inspiration for this chapter:_

_Souljacker (I and II)—Eels_

_Birdhouse In Your Soul—They Might Be Giants_

_Blood Roses—Tori Amos_

_Paranoid Android—Radio Head_

_The Bleeding—Five Finger Death Punch_

_Echoes—Pink Floyd_

_I'm Going Slightly Mad—Queen_

_I know it was dark. Told you it would be. Stay tuned for the next chapter. You know, if you're into that XD_

_Until next time!_

_~Moony_


	10. Waiting For the End--Goodbye Cruel World

_It's been a long journey, and everything has come such a long way, but all good things must come to an end. I give you the chapter of chapters, the end of our story is here. I've been working on it since about halfway through the story itself, so it's been in progress for months. Though this marks the end, I hope you all have enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed writing. _

_Thanks for your reviews as well. As stated before, I've had the plot entirely laid out for about three months now. I have not changed any paths, nor do I plan to. But, I will add this sooner so that you don't get so freaking fussy with me. Creative Commons, yo._

_~Moony_

The man watched as the boy faltered, a stab wound to his side causing him to sputter backward and hiss in pain.

"Damn it, Clark!" Finn spat. "Why are you doing this? Just give up! You've done enough!" He ran back into action, managing to put a gash into the older boy's shoulder.

"Why am I doing it? Why _wouldn't _I?" the prince growled, lashing back in an attempt to mask the pain that shot through his arm. "I've lost everything! I have nothing left to lose!" They continued to tumble and wrestle, slash and kick, punch and stab. Neither of them was getting anywhere. Finn tilted his sword a bit, attempting to have a go at cutting him at an odd angle. At this point, he didn't care of Clark was dead or alive. He had to be stopped.

"You have your life!" Finn shouted, managing to knick him again, this time across the chest. "You have your pride! Die with dignity!"

"If I'm to die, then my life isn't in my own hands is it? It's in the hands of your precious Princess Bubblegum!" He scowled and ducked away from another blow, losing his grip on his dagger in the process.

"You brought this all upon yourself!" Finn was furious now, lashing and bashing in an uproar. "Give up!"

"Would you give up!?" He dodged each cut, each snare, each attempt to get him, lither than before. He had to worry about not having a weapon now that he'd lost his own. "I'll never give up! I'll never give in!" Finn had no reply to that.

Earlier in the battle, Jake had attempted—futilely—to bind the prince. He'd only managed to get himself frozen, stuck in one place as a statuette of ice. So he watched the battle with frozen eyes and a horrified expression upon his doggy face.

"Ice Prince, please! People are scared of you! People fear you! You've gotten what you wanted! She's down below, waiting for you! Apologize!"

"I have nothing to apologize to _her_ for! This is all her fault! I'd be perfectly happy if it wasn't for her!" He managed to put a blow to the boy's face, knocking him to the ground. He grabbed his sword and stood over him, tip pointed to his throat. "Prepare to die." He watched quietly as Finn swallowed and closed his eyes, tilting his chin up to accept his fate. He opened his eyes when the blade never plunged into his throat.

"Aren't you going to kill me?" He stared up at him through his thick blonde bangs. "You win. I'm going to die." Clark watched him, offering a small amount of softness. He lifted the hat from the boy's head, and removed his jacket. He flung it at him.

"You're here for your princess. Aren't you?" The boy stared at him in confused wonder, silent before he nodded.

"I am." He hung his head.

"Don't be a fool." The prince stood up straighter and glared down at the hole in the roof, feeling big and dumb. "Leave the country, and I'll spare the ones that you care for, Human." Finn was silent, confused and silent. "Don't make me regret my decisions. Your friends and loved ones will be left unharmed. But from this day forward, you are dead. You don't exist anymore. Do you understand? I'm a cold, cold villain of a man. I'm so cold, Finn, I won't think twice." There was a long silence between the two as Finn stood.

"I understand," uttered the human boy, sympathetic. He zipped up the jacket, which was tightfitting, but long on him. He pulled up the hood and watched his hat longingly for a moment before his bangs fell in his eyes again.

"Don't return until the snow stops falling." There was a nod, and then Finn turned and he started on his way, not quite sure of what had happened, or what was going to happen. He merely wanted to keep his friends and family safe. That was the plan all along. To keep everyone he loved safe. And though he bled, he knew he would survive this, and he'd keep going, and someday, things would be better.

He glanced over his shoulder once to see the older boy drop his hat into the gaping hole, smile cynically, and then follow it down.

Xxx

Fern had sobbed for days since they'd left the Ice Kingdom. Clark had stormed the Candy Kingdom, which he didn't really need to take by force. Though the gumball guardians had been alerted of evil, they were disarmed by Princess Bubblegum, who had lost her will with the death of the hero that all of Ooo so adored. The news of the boy's death had created waves of sadness and fear throughout Ooo. There had been anger, there had been sadness, riots broke out, people mourned. The presumed death of the hero sent everyone into a fearful shock, and so, Clark assumed the throne with poise and ease, and sat Fern upon the throne next to him. Every day, he demanded her hand in marriage, and every day she simply watched him, giving him no answer.

He'd promised her the world on a silver platter. Anything her heart desired would be so, but she never asked for anything. Regardless, he took the liberty of dressing her in the finest of clothing and having her fit to be royalty. She was beautiful, all done up like a doll would look.

Despite the fact that Fern had asked for no material possessions, she had begged and pleaded for the release of her friends. Reluctantly, the prince had allowed Ivy freedom, and banished him far to the north, on the other side of the mountains. He had, originally, banished all threats to the deepest recesses of the dungeon. Princess Bubblegum was left in one cell, fed regularly, though she rarely ate and had lost her will to try and escape. There was no point. Gray and Tuwa had been separated, kept in cells far from one another. Marceline, after an attempt to kill him in his sleep, was locked away in a silver coffin. However, after all of Fern's begging, Clark relented and allowed for them to return up top.

That didn't mean that they were welcome. As a matter of fact, it was the exact opposite. They were chained in different parts of the castle. Gray was kept at the end of Fern's hallway to keep her company when Clark didn't have time to please her. Tuwa was kept in the main hall where the princess passed daily, as a reminder of who she belonged to now.

Everyone was miserable. Fern felt no pleasure nor no warmth in the presence of the man who loved her so deeply.

"I did all of this for you, you know," he'd told her one day as they watched over the frozen city from their balcony. "I've done everything I've done, just for you. And still, you don't want me." She'd sat quietly and listened to him speak. "Isn't that the truth?" he asked her. "Everything I've done, hasn't it been for you? I've tried so hard." She gave him no response, and he fell prey to a sigh, touching her cheek softly with his fingertip. He then turned away and crossed his arms in front of him, eyes dark and dull. "Fine, then, if silence pleases you, stay silent."

A year passed like this. Silence became something just short of a rule, and it surprised him when she did speak. Schedules never changed. Each morning she woke, bathed, and then went to talk with Tuwa very quietly. She always had some venomous remark to say, and often asked about the state of her beloved Gray. Fern assured her, as always, that Gray was in good condition, and that wouldn't be changing as long as she was captive in these walls. This seemed to leave the sunshine nymph satisfied enough until the next day when she asked the same thing again.

However, things were not faring well in the kingdom. Though he ruled with an icy fist, the people had lost their jobs. Money was not as readily available, and as a consequence the people suffered through poverty, and they resented their king. A rebellion began to form. And who was to head it but a Dark Elf with an angry vendetta. Once again, riots shook the kingdom and sent people into frenzies. Those who were too afraid to join in the riots and battles helped to shelter the rebels from the royal guard sent to destroy them. Several times, the Cold Prince himself had set foot into villages and torn them apart in search of those who were too proud to remove the rogue crest from their clothing. The rebels knew what they stood for. They didn't want to hide that.

He'd, several times, stumbled upon Ivy and very nearly killed him, only to be attacked by an brigade of rogues that wanted him dead. There were too many people who wished him dead to count. It was simply him against the world.

Some nights, he watched his beloved princess with soft, hidden eyes, and wished for nothing more than to be a teenager with her again, to lay in bed with her and hold her tight the way he had so many years ago. He knew he would never have that, but he could still dream when he wanted to. He could still think of her at every moment and wish for her touch, so secretly.

Until the day finally came.

He had been suspecting it for weeks, actually, the planned attack, but he made no attempt to stop it. It had all started when, late in the night, his hostages had all been set free, save for his dear princess. He kept her under lock and key, and nobody knew where he hid her chambers at night. Gray and Tuwa, however, were broken free of their bonds, as was Jake the Dog, Princess Bubblegum, and all of the others who had so long been hidden away in the darkness of the dungeon. That was only the beginning though.

The royal guard was made up of ice golems. They were all strong, and had the force and willpower of five men. They occupied the city below the castle, domineering over everything and everyone. On the third day, the entire town had erupted into a great civil war, golem against Candy People, Tribe Members, Nymphs, and Elves alike. And after the battle began to thin, and the rebellion became stronger than ever before; _that_ was when he launched his attack.

The echoes of his running steps reverberated throughout the empty halls. Nobody tried to stop him, nobody waited to arrest him, was there to scream when he drew his knife. The rebellion had finally risen, its resistance to the corrupt power filling the air and shining brightly, a beacon in the night.

He was the leader. Nobody could argue that.

Clark watched from his balcony as the man ascended the stairs and entered the great double doors to the castle. This was the day that he'd known would arrive, and he hadn't fought to delay. He glanced to his left, watching the girl that he had held prisoner for so long. She watched him coldly, reflecting him with perfect indifference. He closed his eyes and led her inside.

"Time for bed already?" she asked with a frown, head held high and hands clasped at her front. He chuckled darkly, stopping her just inside the doors. He sat her down in one of the beautiful gilded chairs that adorned the hall.

"Not for you, my dear," he replied with a grimace. "I need you to sit here. And stay." She looked up at him, interest teeming in her eyes.

"Why?" she asked, eyes trained on his as he sighed and crouched before her. He took her hands in his, for the first time in years touching her without a trace of hesitance or malice. She stared at him in awe as he lifted her hand to his mask, in a gesture that told her to remove it.

"Because," he replied, taking a deep breath as the scarred tissue of his face was unveiled. He closed his eyes, shame and vanity no longer a part of his mind frame. She nearly dropped the porcelain that he'd so graciously removed. Never before had she seen his face; every detail, each crevice. Five long scars marked the side of his face that he so expertly kept hidden; one from his temple to his chin, another pulling the corner of his mouth into a dangerous smile. Two made an X beneath his eye and a fourth crossed his cheek. They created creases and shadows that she'd never experienced on anyone before, and she couldn't help but let them strike her as beautiful. He'd been through so much. He was horrifying, but beautiful.

She reached out to touch him as he removed the crown from her head, and unfastened her hair, letting it fall around her face and shoulders in long tendrils. He held a lock, watching her with an almost sad tint to his eyes. All this time, and she'd never loved him, not even once. But he still loved her, and he'd always love her, even if she ran into the arms of his enemy and embraced him with the warmth and desire that he'd always wanted for himself. So he tilted her chin up and traced her lips with the tip of his thumb, insecure and unsure of himself. She held his cheek, tracing over each individual scar with her fingers, now aware of everything he'd ever felt, everything he'd done, and why. She slowly pulled him into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder. Amazed, he frowned and pulled her closer, arms enveloping her tightly, hands trailing over the small of her back as he rested his head against hers. His eyes shut tight at the threat of welling up a bit. He'd been through too much to cry now. He'd hold his wits and keep his honor, and die a man.

"You will be freed today," he stood, removing his cape and rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. She clutched his mask to her chest, eyes full of sadness and confusion. "You needn't worry for me, Princess," a soft smile graced his lips. "Just worry about you." He closed his eyes and started toward the great hall doors, ready to meet his fate. He'd accept his death with dignity and elegance. He was a prince, after all.

She didn't call out for him, nor did she stop him. She merely watched from her perch, miserable and afraid and sad on all accounts, but a buzz of excitement filled her dizzy head. She watched him leave, and as he slipped from the room, stood to follow. As she tendered her way to the door, she watched him tread his way down the hall and round the corners that he'd so perfected to be a maze. He knew his labyrinth, and he'd never lose his way, and she knew that only too well. There had been too many escape attempts that ended in her getting lost and him guiding her back to where she started. After a long time, she'd lost her will and succumbed to him. But there was still the want for freedom from the cold. Now she would have it.

He glanced up at the halls as he walked, paying close attention to every last detail. Though everything was freshly cleaned, and there wasn't a speck of dust in sight, his vision seemed as though it were filmed through an old hazy piece of plastic. Everything melted together and looked older than it should have. It didn't bother him too particularly much; however it did perturb him a bit. He closed his mind and shut out the rest of the world. The time had come when the day and the night would become one, and the world would no longer matter. Today was the day that he would finally die.

Xxx

Slipping silently among the passages, he checked in every door. Ivy was growing very frustrated. He hadn't come across his lover or her captivator. He gripped his blade tighter at every noise and every sound, even his own footsteps echoing from the walls and ceiling. He was on the utmost of guards, and wouldn't be removing himself from the alertness that was engulfing him more and more each moment. The world would be restored today, and nothing was going to keep him from happening. There had been too much time spent in the dark, beneath an overcast sky and a corrupted smile. He wouldn't let it go on like this. There would be blood. Perhaps he would die himself. But even if he did, it would be worth all of the lives being freed from the bondage of this cruel reign. There would be no more suffering. He'd go down fighting.

The next big room that he entered was on the second floor of the great building. Everything inside was covered in sheets, but his eyes were not focused on the furniture. It was the man standing at the window. The prince slowly turned to face the young man at the door and smiled.

"Come in," he offered, the air growing chilly. Ivy stared at him as he turned to face him entirely and nearly flinched, stepping back a bit. He was hideous without that mask of his hiding him. It wasn't in the least expected. It was a face of utter terror. Death himself had once touched that face, and now it sat, reanimated on the corpse. He chuckled at the older boy's hesitance. "Well? Aren't you going to come inside?" The man watched him carefully before taking a step in. The door slammed shut behind him, and the lights dimmed momentarily as the air grew colder. There were mirrors all around, lights, smoke. Ivy twitched and jumped away, trying in vain to pry the door back open, but it was sealed shut, frozen in ice. Everywhere he looked, there was Clark, at every corner and every turn.

"Damn you, Petrikov!" he screamed, lunging forward and baring his knife, slashing at each apparition in hopes that it would be the prince, but to no avail. "Come out and fight me, damn you! Fight me!"

"As you wish!" The man threw a punch at him, exposing himself quickly enough to force the man backward a few steps. A fistfight ensued, with kicking and—on several accounts—biting from Ivy. This wasn't meant to be a fair fight. It was a brawl to the death, and a damned bloody one too.

Ivy suffered serious injuries to the neck and face, Clark gaining the clever idea of creating a mirror image of himself. During one instant, he'd managed to steal the younger boy's dagger, and use it to his own advantage. At every chance he had, he slashed away at the boy's face, sporting him with a half of a grin, and angry, deep hash marks down his cheeks in identical cuts to his own. Before long, one tackled the other to the ground, and the floor fell away beneath them, leaving them to fight on the cobblestone of the courtyard below. Clark managed to kick Ivy off of him and roll out of the way. He aimed a blow at the boy's face once more, forcing him back even farther.

Ivy's face was red with blood and bruises, his eyes swollen up, his nose broken, gums bleeding. Clark wasn't in much better of a state, but he'd managed to keep a steady gait. Ivy leaned back against the stone wall, gasping for breath. Blood kept trickling into his mouth and causing him to sputter and choke, the taste leaving him dizzy. Clark watched him carefully as he lunged back into the fight, giving him several blows about the face.

Ivy pulled his arm back and swung as hard as he could, leaving the prince stunned long enough for him to retrieve his dagger, and as Clark regained his composure, he found the young man before him, arm extended. He pulled back.

He didn't feel it at first. It had slid into him without any realization that it had. But as soon as he saw the blade protruding his chest, his heart sped up, and the pain became evident. Ivy stood back, watching his elder with a resentful eye.

"Burn in the nightosphere," he spat. "I hope Abadeer devours your soul." With that, he turned to go, leaving the bleeding man. There was a long silence before Clark collapsed, the anemia beginning to set in.

"Dear God," he whispered, voice hoarse. "If you exist, let me see her one more time." He shut his eyes, the blood pouring from him. Any minute now, he'd bleed out, and then he would exist no more. He had been waiting for this day for so long.

His vision had already begun to blur when he felt gentle hands lift his head. He recognized those hands only too well.

"Fern," he managed to utter, eyes barely capable of staying open. "You came to see the devil die."

"I don't believe in the devil," she replied softly, eyes welling up. "Clark, I'm so sorry," she whispered, letting her head rest upon his. Her voice was thick with unshed tears. He could hear them, taste them.

"Don't fret, beautiful girl," he murmured back to her. "I've only gotten what I have deserved for so long." He closed his eyes and took her hand so that her palm was facing upward. She laced her fingers with his and allowed for a tiny plant to grow between them. "I find it so funny," he continued. "So ironic that something so beautiful, something that brings life and joy to everything else." He paused again, catching his breath. "Brought me joy, brought me life. And now brings me death." Her grip on his hand tightened, and for a long moment, she waited for him to speak again, but he did not. She laid him down upon the cobblestone and planted a soft kiss upon his chin before she began to weep like no other and ran to her lover.

Ivy accepted her with open arms, burying his bloodied face in her hair and taking a deep breath.

"Oh, how I've missed you. How I love you," he whispered. She watched him for a long moment before she held out the one thing that she'd been holding onto for so long, offering it for him to take. "What's this?"

Resting in her outstretched hand was Clark's mask. He watched it coldly for a moment before he softened and took it from her. They left without another word.

Clark lay upon the ground, and allowed his eyes to open again in their absence. He couldn't move; he'd entered a lovely state that felt as though he were floating. He smiled up at the sky, a gentle, happy smile. The crown had crashed to the floor beside him, and he watched it contentedly. He'd been smart enough not to wear his father's crown; however, he'd missed his father enough to keep it. He'd, hopefully, be rejoining him now. As he cast his glance back to the sky, the snow began to cease, and rain began to pour down, his blood washing over the cobblestones and staining everything a runny, translucent red. He closed his eyes, and was still. He'd finally found his place.

Far away, on an old forgotten country road, a lone traveler stalked along, his green jacket hood pulled up over his blonde hair. He blinked and unveiled himself as several drops of rain began to descend from the heavens. A small smile appeared upon his lips; a sad one, but a smile nonetheless.

Finn's return home was reason enough for a great celebration in Ooo. People rejoiced and sang "the demon is dead!" throughout the streets of the Candy Kingdom.

Society rebuilt itself and became stable once more, leaving Clark as little more than a nasty stain on the past. Bubblegum had the Ice King's crown buried to keep it away from the covet that greedy creatures felt.

Harmony restored, lives went on. Ivy became a legend of bravery, and took Fern to be his wife. They had three children, all named after plants, being the odd couple that they were; Rose, Basil, and Chrysanthemum. They lived happily in an old country home in a remote part of Ooo that nobody cared much about. Retiring there was a relief in comparison to the chaos that had followed them for so many years. As a means of respect—even if he had very little—to the dead prince, Ivy wore his mask every day, which made Fern happy, but gave her a bit of nostalgia. Though her time in captivity had been less than enjoyable, she still would look upon that mask and see the boy that she'd cared about so deeply as a child

Finn and Jake went back to their hero adventures; however, they took the time to relax and hold a reunion for themselves. Fire Princess had come to visit Finn on the day of his return. He'd gotten a stinging slap on the cheek and a tantrum for his leaving without telling her. But then he was pulled into a tight hug, which burned, but felt better than a slap. He'd missed her too, more than he'd missed any other girl in Ooo.

Bubblegum went about rebuilding the Candy Kingdom to its former glory; never would it see such despair again. The people of the candy kingdom all spent hours upon hours celebrating the joyous day. Every year since that day, they celebrated, dubbing the holiday "The Day of Great Freedom."

Though the world had stopped spinning for a year and a half, the vibrancy that had once filled Ooo was now restored, and everyone was happy. And they were happy for years to come.

_I got a very angry review over the 'death' of Finn XD which pleased me to no end. You are all very impatient, indeed. Just because it's said by a character, doesn't mean that it's the truth, friends. Especially not coming from the mouth of Clark. This is an intricate plot, just remember that. Dark, but intricate. I hope you enjoyed the end of the story._

_This chapter was incredibly odd to write. I started at the beginning, and then wrote the ending. And then decided it wasn't enough and created the middle. Fun, but still a bit complicated and hard to keep straight._

_This is the end of _this _story, but I will continue to write things for this universe. There will be some short drabbles about the rebellion, or the fear of the people. Character analyses, odd anecdotes, and maybe even a few first person shorts will be available on my main page in a while. I plan on writing this story from the point of view of Finn and how he felt about the whole situation. I tried to write him as a bit conflicted, but it was hard to do since he wasn't in here very often._

_Anyway, I appreciate all of the support and hope you guys will continue to read my other stories, even if this one was demented and messed up._

_Dark fics are a thing_

_Cheers all!_

_~Love Moony_

_A HUGE THANKS TO THATSONOFAMITCH, for his EXCELLENT mashup, Faces of Discord, which fueled this story from the beginning._

_Musical inspiration for this chapter and the rest of this story;_

_Faces of Discord-ThatSonOfAMitch_

_It's About Time-Barcelona_

_Holding On-Blake Reary + Iridium_

_Nowhere Near-Blake Reary_

_Million Dollar Man-Alana Del Rey_

_Novocaine for the Soul-Eels_

_Medication-Garbage_

_You Can Run (Fern's Theme)-The Orbweavers_

_Double Trhead-The Orbweavers_

_Confessions-The Orbweavers_

_A Hard Rain's A'Gonna Fall-Bob Dylan_

_Idiot Wind-Bob Dylan_

_I'm Going Slightly Mad-Queen_

_Island Song-Ashley Eriksson_

_Little Black Submarines-The Black Keys_

_Swimming in the Smoke-Linkin Park_

_Waiting for the End-Linkin Park_

_The Trial-Pink Floyd_

_Brain Damage-Pink Floyd_

_Goodbye Cruel World-Pink Floyd_

_Echoes-Pink Floyd_

_Souljacker (I and II)-Eels_

_Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two of Us-My Chemical Romance_

_To Binge-Gorillaz_

_Rhinestone Eyes-Gorillaz_

_Feel Good Inc.-Gorillaz_

_Dear GOB the lists._

_And there you have it._

_That's the end._

_For now._

_Bye bye._


	11. Waste

_Here you go. Have a drabble. This one takes place during Fern's time in the Cold Kingdom. More drabbles to come, for those still reading. Is it chilly in here?_

_By the way, I'm planning to have this entire fic posted on deviantART by the end of the month, if anybody really cares... PHHHHHHH... _

_~Moony_

"**I'm looking at my watch, at all the time that's been stolen while I was carrying you. It seems I've tripped and I've fallen. I don't want no one to ache—oh, to be drunk and forgetful—to get out of this unscathed. Oh, to be free and inhuman." –**Smash Mouth

The castle was always so cold, and his presence only made her colder. As she lay in her bed, she stared up at the ceiling, awaiting sleep to take her, but alas, it evaded her. Perhaps it was that she knew he was watching. There had been several times when she'd lay awake on nights like this, and she knew that he stood close to her, hidden by the shadow, and hidden cleverly indeed, yet so close that she could reach out and touch him. Tonight, she wouldn't have it. She turned over on her side and slipped her hand to the lamp at her nightstand, and put her fingers to the little knob that would light it. Immediately, cold fingers reached out and clasped her hand, preventing her from continuing. She held her breath for a long moment before she let it escape her lips, and sat up.

"And why is his highness in my chambers this evening?" she asked softly, tone chilly as he was. There was a long, deep silence. He didn't reply, but rather sat at the edge of her bed, staring out the window. The moon peeked out from behind one of the frozen clouds outside, illuminating the room so that she could see him, and he could see her. He reached out for her hand again, and she immediately pulled it away, scooting far from him. "Cold Prince."

"Why won't you call me by my name, little princess?" he uttered, tone mocking. "Is it so hard for you to share your warmth?" She cringed in disgust, watching him carefully. "Or is it just that Clark is dead to you? Am I dead, little Fern?" He turned to her, eyes burning angrily. "Is that it?" She frowned and sat up a bit, face falling from disgust to pity. He watched her, lips pressed into a thin line before he looked away, jaw clenched. Slowly, she reached out to touch him, pulling his cheek to look at her again.

"I will never call you by your name," she murmured. "The man whose name you've stolen, I doubt if there's more than a shred of him left for me to call out to." She uttered the last part sharply, as though pained to say it. She needed to be firm with him. Eyes locked on his, she continued. "Why would I call out to someone who doesn't exist?" A glare formed upon his features, anger evident.

"A name is a name, my dear," he retorted shortly, eyes boring into hers with a dull malice. He couldn't look at her this way, a reflection of their youth. "Wouldn't you rather settle for convenience and familiarity?"

"There is nothing familiar, and there's nothing convenient, not in this place." She closed her eyes and furrowed her brow, uneasy. Discomfort became apparent within the room as she lay back down in her bed and turned away from him. Sitting on the bed, he kept his focus on her for a long time before he glanced back out the window and into the cold night air. The winter months were coming, as if it wasn't cold enough, and they'd be bitter; bitter as he was. He reached out and rested a hand upon her side, fingers curling into the blanket atop her. She cringed, doing her best not to tear up. There were too many memories that he was stirring up within her, a flood of emotions. She was angry with him, for acting this way, and treating her like a possession. She felt pity for the boy that no longer existed, nostalgia for the nights that they'd spent in each other's arms. Along with it all, she felt the need for him, the need to reach out and touch him, to pull him close and comfort what was left of the person she cared about. He was, once again, cast into shadow. Or perhaps he'd already left, and her paranoia was getting the better of her, the feeling of eyes upon her. She let her eyelids fall shut and sighed softly. What a waste. He'd, once again, stolen her time, and for what? She raked a hand through her hair, and then sat up, letting her hair fall loose around her face and shoulders. As she lay her head back down, long tendrils fanned out around her head, creating a veil of hair around her. It was almost comforting, until a hand reached out and pushed it back behind her hair. Her eyes shot open, breath caught in a throaty gasp. There was pressure on the other half of the bed as a tall, lanky character pulled back the covers. She swallowed a deep breath, propped up on one elbow. He handed her something cold, and she took it hesitantly, running her fingers over its surface. Glass? No, she knew what this was. Placing it upon the sheets, she reached out to touch his face, but he took her hand in his and twined their fingers together instead.

"No. Not yet," he uttered, tone guarded as he pulled the covers over himself. She frowned but laid herself down for the fourth time that night, eyes growing dreary. He lay down next to her, reaching his arms out to pull her close. She didn't protest, nor did she struggle, too tired, and too sad—perhaps afraid—to fight. She nestled up against his cold, hard chest, and closed her eyes. Unused to the warmth, he frowned, looking down at her and blinking. He smoothed down her hair, and for once, he actually smiled, a genuine smile, though she'd never see it. The two drifted off into a deep sleep. For the first time since the prince had stolen her away, she felt safe. She shouldn't have, but she couldn't help but feel comfort in familiar arms. She hated him for it. Her heart melted for him because of it. The conflict within her ever-clouding mind grew and grew with the trouble that dampened her heart and soured her judgment. Whatever was the little princess to do?

~X~

She felt so unbelievably uneasy when she was all dolled up the way he liked her. Maidservants tended to her beckoned call, but of course followed the orders that the prince had set in place first and foremost. The fear within the castle's inhabitants was a sharp, rigid fear. Nobody dared to defy the word of their ruler, and followed orders with fearful allegiance. Their lives depended on it, considering his short temper and angry outbursts. Not a single soul was safe as long as he was in charge. The threat was enough to keep them all on their toes.

They all treated Fern as though she were the most delicate thing, that at any moment she could break. As much as she appreciated their care for her, she knew that it wasn't out of kindness that they treated her the way they did. They were afraid of angering the man who watched over her with such infatuation.

As the woman brushed out the younger's hair, she smiled, humming a tune and trying her best to remain natural and calm. Fern watched her curiously in the mirror, eyes both sad and interested as her hair was pulled and tugged into place, until it was a twisting bun at the back of her head, small curls hanging to frame her face. The woman patted her softly on the shoulder, so carefully that Fern could hardly even feel her touch.

"Look at you, so beautiful," she uttered with smiling eyes. "It's no wonder he fancies you." She turned the girl around to face her, that way she could finish her work with the finishing touches that would make any man swoon.

"Sometimes, I wish he didn't," the little nymph murmured in meek reply. The woman frowned darkly as she applied just a little bit of makeup to the princess's cheeks.

"Better to be fancied than to be hated by his majesty, I'm sure."

"He both hates and fancies me," the girl stated, fingers tangled in the folds of her underskirt. She bit her lip, eyes wavering before she looked back up at the woman, who helped her to stand up straight.

"Ah, but princess, at least he fancies you," she cooed. She didn't deny that the man hated everything. But she'd seen the way he looked upon this young girl, and she'd never before seen the emotion upon his stony features that she saw then; the pain and the anger and all of the fancy, all of the infatuation. It had scared the woman, yet given her hope that perhaps this girl could save them, and perhaps she could save him too. "If he didn't, you could be dead as we speak. He'd have half a mind to make you miserable."

"He already does that most of the time," she whispered, mind wandering to the night before. Even when they were young, he'd never nestled under the covers and gotten close to her. He'd changed so much in their time apart. Had he held that other woman the way he'd held her last night? Questions rattled about her head for a moment before she rubbed her temples with a sigh. The woman helped Fern to stand up straight as she placed her corset and began to lace up the back. She gave up on trying to comfort the princess and merely assembled the rest of her clothing, dressing her to perfection.

By the time the woman was finished with her, she was fit to be a queen.

~X~

They sat in silence upon their perch. He gazed at her with his smoldering eyes, and she watched the city below with a sad expression upon her pretty features. After a long time of silence, she looked up at him, and he gestured for her to come to him. She stood reluctantly, and joined at his side, knowing better than to protest when her friends were under his supervision. He looked over her form before he sat her down in his lap, biting his lip as he rested his chin upon her shoulder. She shivered, his chilly skin brushing hers. He closed his eyes and played with a piece of her hair.

"You're so compliant," he commented, voice void of emotion. "All the time, you do as I say. Do you fear me?"

"I don't fear you," she replied without hesitation. There was a long silence that passed between the two, and then he spoke.

"You're lying." He rested his hands upon her hips, nipping at her neck. He smiled ravenously when she tensed, and licked up the side of her neck, feeding off of her uncertainty. "You're afraid of me."

"No," she whispered, pulling herself away from him. "I don't fear you. I'm scared of what you can do; what you will do. But I'm not afraid of you." His smile fell prey to a scowl, but he wrapped his arms about her nonetheless, taking her scent in with a deep breath.

"Stubborn thing, aren't you?" he chided, closing his eyes. "I've missed that, little Fern." She didn't move, but her unease was obvious. Though he was amused by her discomfort, he didn't act upon it; instead, he released her, arms unwinding from her waist. She stood and brushed herself off.

"I only ask that you never do that to me again," she whispered, avoiding any further conflict. He was hurting her head; he was playing around with her heart. She didn't like this, not one bit. He'd had his chance, once upon a time, and now it belonged to another. But despite the coldness that she felt for this prince, that little spot that she'd left empty, just for him, was beginning to open back up. An ugly, gaping hole that he'd ripped out and eaten. The worst part was that she knew he would never fill in the hole. He'd let it gape and rot, and he'd smile at her all the while that she was in pain.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a quiet pop.

"You think too much, little princess," he accused. "Why don't you lighten up and share this with me? Help me drink this."

How could she refuse a drink, especially from a man like him?

~X~

_Short drabble is short. I have only two musical credits for this one. You should still listen. Because good music is good. I'll be adding more drabbles on here soon, so stay tuned :3 next up, I'll be drabbling about the rebellion. I hope you at least enjoyed this little… thing. Which turned out more fluffy than initially planned. Anyway. Bleh. Here's your music._

_Waste—Smash Mouth_

_Wish You Were Here—Pink Floyd_


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